When storms of adversity crash against us, trusting God’s faithful presence and promises can feel difficult. Yet Scripture offers encouragement through those who leaned into radical trust during great trials.

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you,” Peter encourages (1 Peter 5:7). Jesus stands ready to shoulder every care weighing down your soul today. But will we let go...and let God?

When chaos strikes, peace often feels impossible to hold onto. Financial hardships, health struggles, relationship ruptures, grief and loss - the storms of life easily overwhelm us. We desperately try to grasp fleeting scraps of peace as waves crash over the bow.

The Christmas season often brings added chaos. There are family tensions, financial strains, loneliness, and busyness that can easily steal our peace. If you feel stressed and anxious this holiday season, you're not alone. We all long for peace, but it can feel out of reach.

In uncertain times, maintaining a strong and unwavering faith can feel like a daunting task. Yet, it is precisely in these moments that our faith has the potential to grow the most. The Bible is full of guidance on how to nurture and sustain faith, even when we face life's most challenging trials.

One of the most challenging aspects of faith is learning to trust in God's timing. In a world where instant gratification is often the norm, waiting on the Lord can feel counterintuitive, even frustrating. Yet, the Bible is filled with stories that remind us of the transformative power found in embracing God's perfect timing.

In our journey through life, we often encounter waves of uncertainty and storms of doubt. The question isn't whether these times will come, but how we will respond when they do. The key to weathering these storms lies in where we anchor our hope.

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich” Jesus urges the affluent yet impoverished Laodicean church (Revelation 3:18). Though surrounded by material wealth, their spiritual poverty incited Christ’s startling challenge to radically exchange earthly securities for heavenly treasures.

Scripture is full of examples of God displaying His strength through human weakness. Moses was sure he was the wrong person to lead Israel-he was a stutterer after all! But God used his weakness and equipped Him powerfully for the task. Or young David, armed with a sling and a stone courageously faced down the bigger, stronger Goliath. The book of Judges repeatedly highlights the Lord raising up flawed, seemingly weak people to achieve His purposes and save His people.

“I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” declared the complacent yet spiritually impoverished church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:17). Their proud self-reliance garnered a shocking rebuke from Christ - “You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

It's so tempting to equate spiritual maturity with biblical knowledge. I can impress people by quoting lots of verses. I've listened to hundreds of sermons. I know theology inside and out. Surely this means I'm spiritually advanced, right?

Do you ever feel too weak to obey God in certain areas of life? I sure do! There are places in my life where I just can't seem to make progress, no matter how hard I try. My discipline wavers, impatience flares up, and I end up discouraged.

We often approach God like He's a cosmic genie - someone who exists just to grant our wishes and rescue us when life gets hard. Our prayers become a series of appeals for God to give us things or remove obstacles rather than two-way conversation with the Lord of the universe.