Reading With the People of God - #6 LOVEChikamu

Memorization Challenge: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Reading Primer: Unshaken

When your circumstances are anything but calm and you feel like you are being shaken to the core, where and to whom do your eyes turn? To the storm raging around you? Are your eyes fixated on every single little detail that could go wrong? Filling you with anxiety, fear, resentment, bitterness, and or rage? What if this trial, this storm, this season of hardship is precisely the shake-down your life needs to fix your eyes more firmly upon the immovable rock, Jesus Christ? Could you allow yourself His grace to be bold enough to declare, "Bring on the trials!" Much like Paul did, knowing that his faith would be made stronger for having gone through the storm instead of avoiding it.

Being diligent in capturing the negative thoughts surrounding our circumstances and focusing on Jesus helps us persevere. Lifting your eyes over the chaos of uncertainty is difficult. Jesus never promised us an easy life, but He did promise to walk alongside us, shouldering our burdens with us. Your God, your Savior Jesus Christ, will not leave or forsake you. Is this a truth you live by in both good times and hardships? Your honest answer to this question will help you navigate the steps you must take to grow into an unshakable faith. God's got you. This truth isn't dependent on your belief in it. How would your daily life look differently if you embraced God's Holy Spirit and asked Him to ignite this truth to its fullest within your heart? Once ignited, you will begin to see with His eyes all the beautiful blessings and gifts He has in store for you. You need only ask.

- Ardena Hamil, Celebrate Recovery Encourager.