We Don't Know What's Ahead, But God Does So He ---

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."   ---Psalm 23:5,6

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If you're a Christian, most likely you're stronger than you believe yourself to be.

I mean, just think. What if, last February, someone you trust told you that beginning in 2020:

We'd experience a worldwide pandemic

We'd be told "it's just 2 weeks to stop the spread," but the madness has stretched nearly a year

We'd be confined to our homes

Millions would lose their jobs/businesses

Groceries would run short

Lines for public food pantries would stretch for miles

We'd have to wear masks

Social distancing would be a thing

Thousands would riot/take over cities/burn down businesses

We'd be threatened with much if we didn't obey new rules

Governors would reign like emperors 

Much evil in government would be exposed

The election would be stolen

We'd be prohibited from attending church and eating in restaurants

We'd be silenced/censored/cancelled from the Internet

... what would you have done, thought or felt if you'd been promised all that at 2020's start? Challenged, but ready? Or afraid and anxious to run?

But here's today's encouragement:

You're still here.

You made it through! Even if you whined and kicked and screamed, hey,  again, you're still here. Still sane. So let that sink in and allow yourself to celebrate, ok?

Did you read the verses at the top of this post? When I did a search for them, this popped up at the top:

He prepares a table for me " in the presence of my enemies ".This tells us that God knew that we will have enemies spiritual and otherwise , so it shouldn't take us by surprise, God made provision to counter that, since He is God who is all knowing and God of Mercy.

Yes. God does prepare us ahead for hard times and annoying people and seasons. Some places He leads us so to prepare us for unknown roads ahead? To new:

Skills

Teachers

Bible truths

Helpful videos

Books

Friends

Early warnings

Adventures

Social media sites

Health information

And much more. 

At least, that's His intention: to lead us to our help and growth so we can live during dreadful times uniquely, surprisingly like this--

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day."   ---Proverbs 4:18

Oh, that 'brighter and brighter light' which shines even while the world's gone dark!

Last week Tom and I watched a movie in which it was said of a young girl: "She had the heart of a lion." I can't shake that.

And oh, may each of us desperately crave that tenacious boldness of  Jesus, the Lion of Judah!  May we awake to the fact He's prepared us for these days and always, His presence and vitality is ours so we can represent Him as the bright lights He created us to be.

"The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion."   ---Proverbs 28:1

"We must fight against spiritual apathy.   ----Dr. Kynan Bridges

"And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them."   ---Isaiah 42:16

Oh, and don't believe the election was stolen? Watch this in its entirety and then decide, ok?

Never give-up on the things God wants you to do, even the tiny ones! Everything matters to Him, every obedience has eternal rings like a pebble tossed into a pool.

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15