Yes You Can

"May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loves us, give us eternal encouragement and hope in our hearts."  2 Thessalonians 2:16

We live in a culture that's filled with discouraging words, and maybe you’ve taken in some of them recently. You can hardly miss it if you go on social media and see all the ridiculous, mean-spirited comments some make. Read the news, and it’s even more discouraging. Doesn't it seem like our nation is in a race to follow Sodom and Gomorrah?

All of that negativity is having an effect on the mental health of our nation! Depression and suicide rates for all ages have gone off the charts. And a recent survey found that half of all Americans feel left out, and feel like no one cares. And nearly 50,000 people committed suicide last year in America, and that is the highest rate in nearly a hundred years.

Have you found yourself thinking, “I feel miserable. I’ve always failed and probably always will.” But there's a word for you from God for those dark thoughts you battle with at times. As I preached a few weeks ago, Philippians 4:13 is a verse that has such encouragement for us as believers. No matter where we find our lives, no matter who is against us, no matter what we are up against, each of us can face anything in life with the truth of these words, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Even if God doesn't change our circumstance over night, we can be content to know that God is working for us and working with us to bring victory to the circumstances we face. Paul doesn't write that verse to promise us that victory will be immediate, but he writes it to remind us that we can face our circumstance with faith, and not by sight! Our sight is limited in it's perspective, but our faith in Christ is unlimited in it's possibilities!

Never forget that the valley of discouragement, and the pit of discontentment are places that if we are patient with God, and trust Him, He will bring the greatest blessings and bring the greatest breakthroughs because with God failure is never final. We may see failure, but God sees forgiveness. We may see problems, but God sees promises. We may see pain, but God sees possibilities. And we may see blemishes, but God sees beauty.

Don't give up on God because He will never give up on YOU! Never let your discouragement and discontentment set limits on what God can do! Instead, depend on your relationship with Him for your strength, hope and perseverance.

Yes you can be content! Yes you can be encouraged! And yes you can be a conqueror through Christ who literally infuses you with His strength! 

God bless you,

Pastor Dave

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