Tag: Bible

God’s Purposes for Us

“The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.”

– Psalm 138:8

I came across this passage the other day as I was reading through the book of Psalms. It used to be a favorite verse of mine, but I hadn’t read it in some time and had forgotten about it.

What I like about the verse is how it focuses on the truth that God has a purpose for me – and for each one of us – but it’s not our job to fulfill that purpose. It’s the LORD’s job.

This thought is so comforting to me.

Why? Because I’ve spent a good amount of time throughout my life fretting about discovering and fulfilling God’s purpose for me. Now, I definitely think we need to seek our Heavenly Father for guidance regarding this process, as well as use the wisdom He gives us to step out in faith. But I also think that sometimes we place more importance on our own contribution to this undertaking.

The above verse begins with, “The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me.” Whose purpose is it? God’s. And who is responsible for carrying out this purpose? Also God. So many times I’ve worried that I’m not accomplishing all that the Lord has planned for me. But what I should be concerned about is surrendering to God’s ways and responding to Him in obedience. 

The next part of the verse reads, “Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.” God works in our lives according to His purpose because of how much He loves us! He cares about us enough to be involved in our day-to-day existence and to guide us along the path that He knows is best for us…and that will bring Him the most glory.

The verse ends with, “Do not forsake the work of Your hands.” God created us and sustains us. He formed us from the dust, and we are who we are and can do what we do only because of Him.

Shouldn’t it follow that we look to Him to fulfill His purpose for us?

As we walk with the Lord closely each day, I believe that He will show us the way to take…and give us the ability to fulfill his specific plans for us. ❤

P.S. How has God guided you in the past regarding His purpose(s) for you?

 

Photo by Kyle Broad on Unsplash

10 Bible Verses to Combat Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are real. But that doesn’t mean that God has left us defenseless against them. Over the twenty or so years that I have struggled with these illnesses, the Lord has enabled me to rely on Scripture to stand firm in my daily struggles. This does not mean I have always succeeded – many times I have allowed the whirlwind of mental illness to overtake me. But I keep trying. Day by day, I take baby steps. And I’d like to share with you ten of the verses that God has used the most in my struggle against depression and anxiety. I hope they bring you comfort! And I would encourage you to make a list of YOUR favorite verses to fight mental illness. Keep them handy, and memorize them if you can! If you feel led, I would love for you to share some of the verses that help you the most, in the comments section below. ❤

  1. Psalm 34:17-18 – “The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
    God hears us when we call to Him. He is listening. Even if no one else is, God is listening…and He sees us in our struggle. These verses also state that God is near to those who are broken in heart and spirit. So you don’t have to feel alone in what you’re going through. Bring all of your cares to the Lord and know that He hears you.
  2. Psalm 40:1-3 – “I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. The will put their trust in the LORD.”
    These are my favorite verses that relate to depression. They really strike a chord with me. When I am discouraged and overwhelmed, I feel like I am sinking in a pit of mud, and that no amount of struggling could free me. But God is there to lift me up out of the pit – and after steadying me, He fills my heart with praise for all that He has done!
  3. Psalm 42:11 – “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again – my Savior and my God.”
    Praise is an important part of overcoming depression. You might ask, “How can I praise God when He has allowed me to feel this horrible?” I understand the question, and have thought it many times. I’ve learned that God allows things into our lives for our good, and for His glory, that do not make sense to us. But we can still be grateful that He is there for us, and better yet, we can praise Him for who He is. His character never changes, and He is worthy of praise even in the midst of our deepest trials. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to praise God for one of His attributes today – you may just feel better afterwards!
  4. Isaiah 41:10 – “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am Your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
    We don’t have to be afraid or discouraged, because God is near at all times. Although our struggles may not go away, the Lord is near and He will help us – and will ultimately have the victory in our lives.
  5. Lamentations 3:21-26 – “Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!’ The LORD is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.”
    I LOVE these verses. I have remembered them so many times when I wake up in the morning and feel overwhelmed by how many ways I had messed up the previous day. They remind us that God has new mercies for us each day. We get to begin afresh! And He is faithful to forgive us for our shortcomings when we confess them to Him and rely on Him to live in obedience.
  6. Matthew 11:28-30 – “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'”
    So many times I feel burdened by the weight of my struggles with mental illness. I often feel like I just can’t do it anymore – that I’m going to have to give up. But in these verses God gives us a beautiful picture of how HE carries our burdens when we relinquish them to Him. He takes the bulk of the weight on His shoulders (if we let Him) and frees us to walk alongside of Him and to find rest. Don’t try to carry your burdens any longer – give them to Christ daily.
  7. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
    God is our Father, our Abba, our “Daddy.” When we need comfort, He is the person to run to. And He not only comforts us, but enables us to share the comfort that we receive from Him with those around us! When we share with others the comfort that we have received from our heavenly Father, it brings praise to God and also encourages us.
  8. Philippians 4:4-8 – “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
    Prayer is so important when struggling with mental illness or any other trial. We need to be in constant communication with God and look to Him for deliverance. As we rely on Him in our anxiety, He will give us the strength to meditate on His truth (instead of Satan’s lies or our own doubts) and will provide us the peace that we so desperately need.
  9. 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
    Fear does not come from God – on the contrary, our Father gives us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. So when you begin to fear, put on God’s armor (see Ephesians 6:10-18) and command the enemy to get away from you in Jesus’ name. God will fight for you, and will enable you to move forward in confidence.
  10. 1 Peter 5:6-7 – “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”
    One of the most amazing things about God is that even in His splendor and majesty, He cares about us deeply. When we humble ourselves and rely on Him to help us combat depression and anxiety, He will always be there for us, and will “lift us up” in His perfect timing.

 

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