I recently completed the book of 2 Chronicles. It gave brief accounts of the reigns of the various kings of Judah and Israel. Towards the end of the book, however, we meet king Josiah who was eight years old when he became king. He was one of the kings of Judah who “did what was right in the sight of the Lord” (34:2). He made efforts to restore true worship and to keep the Passover. Yet, in spite of his efforts, God’s promised judgement would still befall Judah because of all the evil they had done in spite of God’s persistent and consistent warnings. He promised however, that Josiah would die in peace and not see the calamity that would befall his people.
    After king Josiah died, many of the future generations of kings who reigned in his place did evil in the sight of the Lord (Chapter 36) although God sent messengers to warn them time and again. Finally, God gave them into the hands of their enemies. The city was destroyed and those who were not killed were taken captive to Babylon just as had been prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah.
    Interestingly though, the book does not end on the destruction that befell God’s people. It actually ends on a note of hope. In the final few verses of chapter 36, we read that, many years later, while the children of Judah were still in captivity, Cyrus the king of Persia made a proclamation throughout his kingdom. He revealed that God had commanded him to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. He then invited those among God’s people who would willingly go to Jerusalem to carry out this task. The thing is, the prophet Jeremiah had prophesied this many years before and although destruction was imminent at the time of his warning, God promised to bring His people back home. 
    The thought that came to mind when I read this was that no matter how bad things look, there is always hope in God. God has the ability to bring light to the darkest situation and hope to the most hopeless circumstance. He knows how to make a way where our eyes cannot see a way. When the children of Israel were faced with the Red Sea (Exodus 14), it seemed like it was the end for them. The only recourse seemed to be to return to Egypt and to a life of bondage. But, that was not God’s plan. When they did not know how or where deliverance would come, it did. God made a way for them to escape their enemies. God was their hope, when hope seemed impossible. 
    It’s the same with us. As bad as things may look at times, as hopeless as they might seem, God is still our hope. Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” When you’ve lost all your hope and don’t see a future, remember, God is your hope and your future. For the times when my back was against the wall and I couldn’t see any hope or future, God reminded me that He is my hope and He is my future. He restored Israel when restoration seemed impossible, He will do the same for you.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. When things look dark and you can’t see a way, remember, God wants to be your hope and the future you think you don’t have. Just trust Him!

    There is so much to glean from the story of David and Goliath. Last week, I looked at the fact that David boasted, not in himself, but in his God. He boldly acknowledged what his God would do to this uncircumcised Philistine. He knew that this battle was going to be won, not by his might or ability, but by God’s.
    But among other things, something else catches my attention this week. After delivering his bold words, as Goliath came towards David, David ran towards him, put a stone in his sling and struck Goliath on his forehead and Goliath sank to the ground. I admire the way David did not cower in fear like his Israelite counterparts. Instead, he boldly ran - not walked - towards his opponent. David expected a victory. He did not hesitate but ran towards his enemy expecting a victory. 
    Many times when we face challenges, it can be difficult to see a victory. What we most likely see instead is the reality of the situation. As we battle fear, anxiety, uncertainty and a sleuth of negative emotions, it can be hard to picture a victorious outcome. But David did, because he knew his God would be the one to fight and win. 
    But there was something else. David was confident because of his perception of the situation. David was facing a giant who was bigger and more powerful than he was and who could easily kill him. The thing is, he had met ‘giants’ like that before in the lion and the bear who had come to take away his sheep. On those occasions, he had witnessed God defeat those beasts and protect his sheep. This human giant was no different. While the entire Israelite army saw a giant that was bigger than them and more powerful, David saw his God who was bigger and more powerful than this giant. He chose to see it from God’s perspective rather than his own minuscule one. David was so God-focused that this “giant” problem was actually small in the face of his God.
    It doesn’t matter what your giant looks like, it will never be bigger or more powerful than your God. In Jeremiah 32:27, God asked Jeremiah if there was anything too hard for Him to do. He had told Jeremiah of an impossible task He was going to perform. It truly did not make sense and seemed virtually impossible, but, then again, God specialises in performing impossible tasks - impossible for man, but very possible for Him.
    It’s about perspective, how we perceive a situation. If the perspective is wrong and based on our ability, then defeat will be imminent. But, if our perspective zooms in on God, who is able to do the impossible, then we can be at peace knowing that God will take care of it. 
    Recently, I had to go on a trip. As the day for the trip drew near, various challenges, popped up. At one point, I actually began to wonder if I should even bother to go. Yet, as I trusted in God, I watched God sort out every problem that presented itself. As I told a few people, God made every mountain that came before me a level plain. The mountains may have been bigger than me and certainly impossible for me to handle, but God levelled every one and made a way when things seemed impossible. In this season, I learned to trust God to do what I could not. I chose to see Him as the only solution to whatever I faced. He was bigger than what was bigger than me!
    Sometimes, we just have to change our perspective. Yes, the problem may be bigger than you and of course intimidating, but your God is even bigger and certainly capable of handling every giant that comes your way. Just as I watched God level every mountain I faced regarding that trip, just so God is able to level and bring to nothing whatever giant comes your way.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. There is nothing that you face that is too big for God to handle. Your biggest problem will always be tiny before your God. There is truly nothing that is too difficult for God.

    When David faced Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, he made some fearless, bold statements. They were, however, not statements made in confidence in his own ability but in his God’s ability to do the impossible. He knew what he could do and that would not be enough. But, he knew what his God could and would do and that was everything.
    David did not just boast that God would deliver their enemies into their hands, but that when He did, they would all know that “the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s …” (1 Samuel 17:47). God is not a God to do things in the way that we would expect. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. Our logic is not His logic. Sometimes, we try to figure God out, figure out His strategy, how He would or could work the situation out. But God is not moved by our opinion and strategies but His. Remember, they tried to get David to use familiar weapons but that was not how God was going to fight and win this battle. 
    The reality is, God’s battle strategy, God’s solution to our problem, is not always the way we might expect or hope … and that’s fine. God does not need to win the battle our way but His way. Who would have expected or even chosen, one, a young boy to fight against Goliath, or two, that his weapons would be a sling shot and a stone. This whole battle strategy did not make any sense. In fact, it was downright laughable. Yet, that’s exactly who and what God chose to use … and it worked! It worked not because of who and what was chosen but because of God’s power working through who and what He chose to use. It was still all God. He does not share His glory with another. 
    I am reminded of two stories. The first is the Israelites crossing of the Red Sea. They were trapped between the Egyptians who were pursuing them and a huge body of water they could not possibly cross. Yet, God had set this whole scenario up (Exodus 14:1-4). When the Israelites complained in fear, God through Moses told them: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13-14). The reality is that the Israelites had no weapons with which to fight the Egyptians and they had no means with which to cross the Red Sea. God had to do this.                 
    Sometimes God just sets us up. This situation was just as impossible as the confrontation between David and Goliath. Yet, God came through for the Israelites. He did what had never been done before. He parted the Red Sea and while this was a way of escape for His people, it was also the method He used to destroy their enemies. The Israelites did not have to use any sword or spear, they just had to trust their God. 
    The second story tells of the combined armies that rose up against king Jehoshaphat and Judah. When Jehoshaphat and his people turned to the Lord in fear, God’s answer to them was: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 20:15 & 17). Interestingly, they truly did not have to fight their enemies. Singers went before the army singing praises to God. As they did so, their enemies began to fight against one another until they were completely consumed. All the Israelites had to do, was gather the spoil from their enemies’s dead bodies. Here, the weapon was worship. As they focused on their God and sang praises to Him, He fought that battle for them. 
    This all excites me because we cannot box God in. Our way of doing things and God’s way, are two different things. We don’t have to worry when our own ideas and solutions seem limited or even non-existent. God’s got us and He knows exactly the tools and weapons to use to fight and win on our behalf. Even when what we do have in our hands is limited, God will take and use the little that we have and empower it to do the job. It’s still all about God and about His amazing ability to do the impossible … His way.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. There is no loss in serving a God whose power and ability are limitless and many times incomprehensible. God will not fail us. He will fight on our behalf and whatever or whoever He chooses to use, even though it may not make sense to us, He will empower and enable to get the job done. Just trust Him!
​

    Last week, I shared on David’s bold response to Goliath’s threat to kill him. He did not respond with fear or uncertainty. He knew his God, he knew what his God could do and he responded with confidence in a God who would deliver him and his people from the enemy.
    Yet, David did not stop there. He proceeded to tell Goliath: “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand” (v.46a). David was becoming bolder and bolder as he faced Goliath. He was not intimidated by his size, experience or strength because he knew someone personally who could cut this giant down to size - GOD! 
    It is only when you have that kind of experiential relationship with God, that you can make bold boasts about him. David was never boasting in himself and what he could do by himself. He knew that God and God alone would be the one to win this battle. He never said he would deliver Goliath into his hands, but that God would be the one to do it. He was super-confident in his God.
    When faced with impossible battles where you personally know that you would lose, this is the kind of faith and boldness that is needed. God does not expect us to fight our battles alone. Rather, He expects that we would give it over to Him and He would fight and win on our behalf. Interestingly, I think for many of us, the problem isn’t in God’s ability to do it but rather, will He do it in the particular situation we are in. I wondered to myself about David’s confident boasting. He never spoke from the point of what his God could do, but from the point of what his God would do. David went way beyond to God’s willingness, something that many of us struggle with. We wonder what’s God’s will is as we face various situations in our lives. 
    As I wondered about David’s confidence that God would deliver their enemies into their hands, I thought of what God had actually done in David’s own life. David had witnessed God help him kill a lion and a bear to save the sheep in his care. The Israelites were God’s sheep and David knew that God would not give up on His people. When he made a stand for God’s people, he knew God would stand with him … just as He had done for mere sheep. 
    As God’s children, God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. When challenges and trials come, we need to know that God isn’t there on the sidelines, unconcernedly watching us suffer and struggle. When we turn to Him, and we trust Him for the answer, He will help us. The reality is that the answer may not always look the way we would like it to look but it will certainly be His best for us.
    David had experienced what God had done and he spoke from this confidence. Maybe in our own situation, we need to say what God would do based on what His Word says. His Word says that the battle belongs to Him (2 Chronicles 20:15), that He will fight for us (Exodus 14:14), that when the righteous cry out to Him, He hears and delivers (Psalm 34:17). Maybe we need to just fix our eyes on Him instead of being so focused on the situation. The wrong focus can bring discouragement, despair and certainly put a dent in our faith. When our focus is on Him, we will be encouraged, we will be strengthened, we will expect what David expected - a favourable outcome in an otherwise impossible situation. 
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. There is nothing that our God cannot do. He will never do less than His best for us, His children. When He fights on our behalf, all He wants us to do is trust that He will do it and that He will not fail us.

    I have been doing some Bible study on 1 Samuel 17 for some time now. You may be familiar with the story of David and Goliath. David heard the giant Goliath sending out a challenge to the Israelite army. He challenged someone to come forward and fight against him. Whichever person won, the opposing nation would become subject to the winning side. 
    David decided that he would fight Goliath. Keep in mind that David was a mere boy, inexperienced in battle, while Goliath was trained for battle since he was young. Goliath scoffed when he saw the young, inexperienced David before him (vv.42-43). He was convinced he would win and that this would be an easy contest. He went as far as to curse David by his gods and promised to feed his flesh to the birds and wild animals (vv.43b-44).
    When David heard this, he boldly said, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (v.45). David was confident because he knew God would fight for him. He knew that he was outnumbered and ill-equipped, but the God he was relying on was well able to handle the enemy’s weapons. The enemy’s intimidating weapons could not defeat his All-Powerful God!
    What weapons are you using when the enemy comes against you? The enemy may come against you with weapons of sickness and disease, lies and intimidation, attacks against your finances, your family, even your mind. But what weapons are you using in return? Maybe like the Israelite army, you are retaliating with fear. Maybe hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness seem like powerful weapons. 
    David trusted his God to be his most powerful and effective weapon against his enemy. He knew what his God could do. After all, God had helped him fight against and defeat a lion and a bear when they came against his sheep. “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. This very day, I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel” (v.46). David boasted about what he would do to Goliath and the Philistine army but it was not a boast in his own strength, but God’s.
    “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” (v.47). The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are not man-made. They are mighty through God! (2 Corinthians 10:4) It may have seemed as if Goliath had the unfair advantage - size, experience and man-made weapons. He even had a shield bearer who was going before him against David (v.41). But, David was the one who had the unfair advantage. Goliath lost that fight before he even started … he just did not know it. Interestingly, the only one who knew this was David. His words reveal his confidence in what he expected God to do. Not even king Saul or the Israelite army expected David to win. 
    When challenges and battles come your way, what are you expecting God to do? What weapons are you choosing to use? Why not choose the weapon of the Word of God. His Word cannot return to Him without accomplishing what He wants it to accomplish. What about praise and worship? What about faith and trust in Him and in His ability to fight and win for you? And what about the weapon of prayer? These are all powerful weapons that God has equipped us with to face whatever comes our way. They are certainly not ineffective but mighty through God to destroy the works of the enemy. God has already equipped you with these weapons, so use them!!!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. As a child of God, God has not left you ill-equipped or ill-prepared to handle whatever comes your way. You have the right weapons for every battle and the perfect God who will fight for you! Trust Him!
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    Frank had an unsettling dream. He dreamt that he was dying and he kept begging God not to take him. A week later, he began to experience numbness in his left arm and teeth. He told his wife about it and they both agreed that he should go to the hospital. They reached out to friends and church family who lifted him up in prayer.
    At the hospital, when he told the doctors what was happening to him they immediately called for the stroke trauma team. Initial tests revealed that he was having a stroke, a blood clot in his brain. He was transferred to another hospital where doctors performed surgery to insert a stent to restore blood flow to the blocked artery. However, before the surgery could be performed, he insisted on calling his pastor to pray for him. Doctors reluctantly agreed. After the prayer, his pastor told him that he could tell that he had received his prayer for him and that he was going to be okay and that this would be a big testimony for the Lord. 
    The doctors, however, in spite of their efforts, were unable to put in the stent. Instead, they were amazed to discover that there was so much blood on the left side of his brain that it compensated for the right side of his brain. In short, the blood vessels on the left side of his brain, had enlarged and miraculously compensated for the stroke. This lead to a full recovery. The doctor admitted that he had never witnessed that in all his years as a doctor.
    Frank and his wife are grateful to God and Frank is determined to be a mouthpiece for God, declaring that in this present day and age healing miracles are possible because he, Frank, is living proof.
    I admit, I was amazed at the way God chose to heal Frank. God did not allow man to intervene. He could have and He would have directed the doctors what to do. Instead, God chose to perform a miracle, allowing Frank’s body to heal itself. God can choose to heal us in different ways. He can use man’s intervention through surgery and / or medication or He can simply perform a miracle that cannot be explained. The latter is what He did for Frank. 
    What is also interesting is the fact that, although the doctors tried, they were unable to insert the stent. I believe God prevented them from being able to do so. Sometimes, it may seem as if the enemy is trying to stop our healing, or our deliverance. But that may not always be the case. Sometimes, God Himself is the hindrance, not because He doesn’t want us healed but He wants to do something greater. 
    I recall here the story of Lazarus (John 11:1-43). When Jesus got word of his illness, He chose not to go to him right away. By the time He and the disciples got to Lazarus, he had been dead for four days. Jesus’ delay in going to Lazarus may have seemed insensitive, but He knew that the greater miracle would be in his death and resurrection rather than in his healing from sickness. 
    God’s ways and thoughts are not ours. He does not always do things the way we would expect. He may allow delays, He may allow obstacles but it will always be for a greater good, for an unexpected miracle to take place. As I love to say, God wants the best for us. His best may not always look the way we might expect but we can trust that whatever He does and however He chooses to do it, things will work out for our good.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. When your life is in God’s capable hands, you can rest assured that you will be well taken care of. No matter what comes your way, God will always have the final say and His say will always be His best for you!

    In 1 Chronicles 21, king David is moved by Satan to take a census of Israel. His decision so displeased the Lord that He gave David three options for punishment: three years of famine, three months of being destroyed by their enemies or three days during which God would send a plague on the land. David decided that it would be better to fall into the hands of God instead of the hands of men because he knew God would be more merciful. 
    The Lord sent a plague and seventy thousand men died. The Lord then sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. However, as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented of the destruction against them. He commanded the angel to stop. When king David saw this, he repented of his wrong and asked God to remove the plague from the people and to put the punishment for his sin on him and his family instead. 
    At the place where the angel was stopped - the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite - David was commanded to build an altar to the Lord. He obeyed and sacrificed burnt and fellowship offerings and called on the name of the Lord. The Lord answered with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering and commanded the angel to put away his sword.
    What I find interesting about this story is the fact that the Lord relented and commanded the angel to stop the plague. It is not the first time, however, that the Lord relented of some punishment he had sent out. However, what caught my attention was the reality that God relented of His own accord. Yes, David had requested that he fall into the hands of God rather than men. But, what David also says next was a precursor to what actually happened: “Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands” (v.13). David understood and trusted in God’s mercy. He knew man would not be merciful to him but God would. He was confident that at some point in time, God would be merciful to him and his people.
    Here’s the thing. As the plague progressed, God did not wait for anyone to pray. God did not wait for anyone to beg for mercy. God chose to stop the plague of His own accord. God chose to show mercy of His own accord. Have there been times when you knew God was merciful to you even though you didn’t deserve it? Maybe you didn’t even bother to pray or even ask for mercy because you knew that whatever came your way would be justly deserved. But, when God chose to show you mercy, you may have felt overwhelmed because you knew it was because of Him not because of anything you had done. 
    God is mercy. God is love. He acts based on who He is, not necessarily based on man’s intervention. That reality should be a source of comfort and encouragement to many of us. It should even motivate us to just want to live right, want to make better choices. Maybe we can testify of times when we were in a difficult situation and we did not even have time to offer a prayer but God showed up anyway and brought us through. I can testify of that. When faced with a challenging situation, I did not even think of praying. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I was just focused on finding a way out of it. But suddenly, out of nowhere, God showed up and brought me through. There was no intervention of prayer on my part but God showed up anyway. He chose to. That’s who He is!
    God is mercy. God is love. When He is merciful it is because He chooses to show mercy. When He shows love it is because He is love. He cannot be different from who He is. And we can’t make Him into what He is not. So, be encouraged. As a child of God, you are in safe hands.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God loves us enough that He is willing to show mercy even when we don’t deserve it. Trust that God’s mercy will go above and beyond because He wants the best for us. His mercy never fails!

    “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth.”
​(1 Chronicles 17:7-8)
    One day, while king David was in his house, he found himself desiring to build a house for the Lord. After all, he, David, was living in a house of cedar but the ark of the covenant of the Lord was being housed in a tent. This did not please David at all. He shared his desire with Nathan the prophet. God, in turn, spoke to Nathan and told him to tell David that He was not particularly desirous of a house to live in. He had never complained about it before. He then instead reminded David of where He had taken him from and of the good things He had done for him, to the point where He had made his name great (see verses above).
    What I love about these verses is God’s reminder to David of where He had brought him from. David was virtually a nobody. Even when the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of his father’s sons to be the next king of Israel, he was not even invited to the feast Samuel had demanded for this occasion. He was considered insignificant, unimportant, of very little value by his own family. 
    Yet, when it was time for the anointing to take place, even though he was not present, that did not stop God from choosing him. In fact, he had been chosen by God even before the prophet Samuel got to his town. God chose him even when he was hidden in the sheepfold. I love that about God. We may be hidden, insignificant, unseen, but when no one sees you, when no one sees your worth or value, God sees you clearly! And nothing or no one can hide you from His sight. It was God who took David from his place of insignificance and made his name great. It was God who delivered him from all his enemies, causing him to be highly respected by men near and far. God did it!
    Sometimes we forget all that God has done for us! We can get so caught up, so distracted by present challenges and circumstances, that we forget where God has taken us from and the good or even great things He is doing in our lives. I love the fact that God did it for David. When David was not even thinking of a life of greatness, God was thinking it for him! Imagine what God is thinking about you! You may desire great things for yourself, but God will always do greater than the desires of your heart. 
    God has a way of overwhelming us. I remember various times in my own life where God did something that so overwhelmed me that I did not even know how to respond. The most I could say was, “God You have overwhelmed me!” What has God done in your life? Where has He brought you from and how has He made your life so much better than what it was before or even than what you could have dreamed or imagined? Some of us are still watching and waiting for a dream to come to pass. But, what about what God has already done? Have you forgotten that? Or are you so caught up in present disappointments and challenges that you can’t remember what He has done for you? 
    I encourage you to take the time to remember. Remember what God has already done in different areas of your life. Remember the things He has brought you through when you thought you would not have made it. Above all, think about the reality that as you face trials and tests now, God continues to enable you to stand. Sometimes the fact that you are still standing when you should have fallen long ago, is the miracle in itself.
    God did great things in David’s life, for those of us who remember his story. Here’s the thing: God. Did. It! And God has done and is continuing to do great things for you. I encourage you to remember your past with Him, and look forward to what He still has in store. And as you remember … be thankful!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God is a faithful God. He will never leave you or abandon you. He desires the best for you and will do His part to ensure that that best comes your way. So, be thankful for what He has done and for what He is about to do.​

    Sometimes our destiny seems mapped out for us. We may feel powerless to bring about change, yet in God change is possible. In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we meet a man whose destiny seemed mapped out for him. It did not seem as if change could be possible yet, it was.
    This man’s name was Jabez. His mother had clearly experienced significant pain in childbirth to the point where she gave him his name, Jabez, which means "borne in pain."  Now, it is important to note, that in biblical times, a person’s name was important. Names were not chosen randomly. Care and consideration was taken in the choosing of a name for a child. 
    In Jabez’ case, unfortunately, and through no fault of his own, his mother chose to give him a name that reflected the difficulty she faced in giving birth to him. She could have chosen a name that would speak something positive in spite of the negative she had faced. But, she did not. 
    Here’s the thing: Jabez, in turn, also had a choice. He could choose to come into agreement with what his mother had spoken over him, or he could choose a different and more positive outcome. Verse 9 says that he was more honourable than his brothers. In this one verse we see the juxtaposition between a life of honour and a life destined for dishonour. In spite of what his mother had declared over his life, he clearly chose by his actions to be the opposite of the negative she had spoken. He was not living out his name. He was choosing to live an honourable life in spite of it. When people heard his name, they didn’t see a life that caused pain but the opposite. 
    Like Jabez, we too have a choice. We can choose to live a life that reflects our negative circumstances or we can choose to live a life of honour in spite of the negative that has come our way. I believe that’s called choosing to stand in spite of the challenges you are facing. It’s not easy to stand when challenges seem to be defining you. It’s not easy to stand when people look at you and expect a life bowed down by  negative circumstances. 
    The other interesting thing is that Jabez did not try to accomplish this task alone. Clearly, he had confidence in a God who is able to turn any negative situation around. His mother called him “borne in pain” but he called on the God who is able to reverse what his mother had spoken over and into his life. He did not use his name as an excuse to do evil, but rather chose to put his trust in a God who could make him better and more honourable than what his mother had spoken over him.
    He asked God to bless him and to enlarge his sphere of influence. He understood the curse hovering over his life and trusted God to reverse that curse and to bless him instead. He also trusted God to make him a positive influence and not a negative one. He asked God for His presence in his life. He understood that without God he could accomplish nothing good. And he trusted Him to keep him from harm. But, he ends off by begging God that he would not be a source of pain for others (v.10). Clearly, Jabez understood the power of the name his mother had given him but he realised that the only One to reverse that negative influence was God. It was his trust in God that moved God to answer his request.
    God is all-powerful and mighty and can accomplish the impossible. But I believe that God is moved to act on our behalf when we choose to put our trust in Him. With this attitude, we are telling God, "Only You can do this, I can’t and I trust You!" I really do think many times, that is all God wants from us - complete trust in Him. And when we put our trust in Him, He will amaze us with what He can and will do.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God just wants us to trust Him - trust that He knows best and that He has our best interests at heart. He loves us too much to give us anything less and will ensure that in spite of challenges, our life will be one of blessing and hope for all to see.
So, trust Him!

    Nadia and her family were afflicted with a stomach virus. Everyone got better except Nadia. She was extremely nauseous and her oesophagus and stomach hurt. She could not eat anything. Her parents took her to multiple doctors but no one could determine what was wrong with her or how to cure her. Finally, they got some answers. It was discovered that she was suffering from post-infectious gastroparesis. In other words, her digestive system had shut down. Although the doctors prescribed medications, they warned her parents that she might be struggling with this condition indefinitely. 
    The family now had to adjust their lifestyle. They were unable to attend special events because Nadia was feeling too sick. Nadia, herself, a once vibrant young woman, was now battling discouragement because of her condition. What was worse, after almost a year, just when she seemed to be improving, she suffered a severe relapse that left her unable to walk, eat or stand. Her parents decided to drive her to a prayer conference sixteen hours away. Unfortunately, the night before their trip, her condition grew even worse. They worried about taking her on this long trip, but they did it anyway. Her mother received encouragement from the Lord. He told her that it was a long journey but when they arrived her daughter would be delivered. Her father believed that if the Lord said it, even if he was concerned about her being able to make the trip, they were going to go. He preferred to obey the Lord. 
    When they got there, a Pastor prayed for her. All the pain and nausea left. She felt hungry, a feeling she had not experienced during her ordeal. Her father felt as if the Lord was reminding him that He, the Lord, was able to do this, so why had he doubted? Not only was Nadia healed of her condition but she received a renewed faith. She realised that no matter how long struggles lasted, miracles were still possible. Her experience reaffirmed her belief in God. Her story is a testimony that through prayer God is still resurrecting hopeless situations.
    One of the things that stands out in this testimony for me, is that the father felt that the Lord was telling him, “Why did you doubt?” I think many of us have been asked that question. The reality is that when a situation is taking long to be resolved, doubt and fear step in. We begin to doubt what the Lord spoke to us concerning the situation and the reality of what we are experiencing seems bigger and more intimidating than what God has said. Yet, God wants us to remember that if He came through for us before, He will come through for us again.
    I love what Nadia realised. She had battled for more than a year with her condition but she discovered that no matter how long the battle took, God was still able to do the impossible. God is not moved by our timeline. We all would like God to accomplish certain things for us according to our timing. Here’s the thing: God knows that time does not and cannot affect His power and His ability. He can still perform a miracle, He can still turn any situation around, even if takes one week, one month or ten years. God’s ability is not affected by time. We are concerned about how long something takes to work out and if it takes too long, we give up. God, on the other hand reminds us that, “At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen” (Isaiah 60:22).
    I don’t know what you are waiting on God to do for you. But, be encouraged. He will work things out in His perfect timing and according to His will and purpose for your life. No matter how late or how hopeless it seems, it is never too late for a miracle from God.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. Never doubt God’s ability to do the impossible even when circumstances are saying that it’s over. God still has the final say. And if God says it then it will come to pass.
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