Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

So I will bless you as long as I live;

in your name I will lift up my hands.

(Psalm 63:3–4).

When you stop and reflect on the love and grace of God you will realize just how blessed you are.

I hope you have known the privilege and blessing of being truly and fully loved by someone. It motivates and fills your life with joy and you want nothing more than to spend your life honoring and enjoying this person. Knowing the love of God is this good and much more.

You may believe you are past loving. You are wrong! God knows your failures and flaws and still reaches out to you in love. He calls you to leave the life of hiding and pretending and bring the pieces of your life to Him. He will love you and begin to put life back together. You will begin to know joy. When He has started to do this, worship will no longer be a duty . . . it will be a delight. You will long to spend time with the Lord, not just on Sundays, but every day. Celebrate the love of God!

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,

for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory;

my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

(Psalm 62:5–8).

While others trust the government or "science," I will continue to put my trust in the Lord. Rather than trust our instinct, strength or wisdom, I want to rest in Him. Rather than trust my 5-year plan, I will wait upon the Lord and hopefully move when He moves and stop when He stops.

It is good in trying times to ask the question: Who do I trust? Where am I looking for strength and guidance? In whom or in what do you place your trust?

There is only One who is trustworthy. He alone has all the answers. Turn to HIm.

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:39–40).

Prayer is such a simple thing and we overlook it. In times when we need strength and healing, God stands ready to help us.

However, like the disciples (in this situation) prayer sometimes seems perfunctory. We would rather spend that time checking the news, reading Facebook rants, and fretting like chicken little. We look to the government, health officials, and our own instincts but we will not pray.

Here's a challenge: for every minute (chart it) you spend watching or reading news, spend that same time with the Lord in prayer. When you find yourself fretting, take a moment to pray. Be honest, and keep your heart open. Pray that you might not fall into the temptation to despair or waver in your trust in God's sovereignty and wisdom.

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

(Luke 20:17–18).

I know, not a particularly encouraging text. However, to find the joy in life we must face the truth that Jesus is the ONLY way to life. It is through Christ that we are set free. He ALONE can make a sufficient payment for our sin. He is our ONLY hope.

Jesus said (He is talking above) if you stumble over Jesus you will be broken. If you oppose Him you will eventually be crushed. Trust in Christ is the only way of salvation! He is the Lord of life.

Does that seem narrow-minded? The good news is this: there IS a way to gain forgiveness and new and eternal life!

Suppose you were a starving person. Someone offers you a hamburger and some water. If you turned away because you really had a taste for chicken wouldn't you be a fool? If you refused the drink of water offered to you because it wasn't your brand, would others pity you?

In the same way, when you refuse the offer of salvation through Christ, because you think God should have done something different, are you not just as foolish? The way of salvation is offered to you. How will you respond?

 When I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.

In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

(Psalm 56:3–4).

These are perfect words for the times we are in. When we put our trust in the Lord we KNOW we will be OK. It doesn't mean we won't get sick or that we won't die (everyone dies), it simply means we rest in the sovereign and loving hand of God.

God has redeemed us through the blood of Christ. He has given us a royal position and an eternal inheritance. There is nothing in the world that can thwart His plan so we REST in Him.

Don't let the Devil steal your joy!

Cast your burden on the LORD,

and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22.

The promise: give HIm the burden and He will get you through it. There no gimmick, no secret words, just trust. Even when we can't see God, we trust His Sovereignty, His love, and His mercy.

Stop carrying that heavy burden! Is it a deep hurt, a pressing illness, a fear that absorbs you, or a shame that threatens to suffocate . . . give it to Him. He will carry it for you. Rest in His strength rather than your own. There is no risk here. He is faithful.