Monday Morning Encouragement -- God Will Make A Way

 

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19


Yesterday I spoke to a dear friend; someone who lives far from me. She shared sad news about the death of a mutual friend, as well as the death of her own father. This all happened last week, within days of each other. The comforting news is that both of these men were Christ followers, and now they are in His presence. There's no better place that that.

Even with that extraordinary knowledge and the comfort it brings, there is still grief to bear for those who are left behind. For them the journey of grief has just begun, and no doubt there will be days when sadness will threaten to overcome them. 

No matter how strong our faith is, we still grieve the passing of loved ones. And we wonder how we'll survive without them.


This is where God enters in and carries us to the other side of grief. He makes a way. He IS the way. He promises us that He will be with us through the every step of the journey. I want to share some verses from the Bible that speak to this:


"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."  (Isaiah 43:2)

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

"He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed." (Psalm 107:29)

"Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."
(1 Peter 5:7)

"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken."
(Psalm 34:17-20)


"The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in Him." (Nahum 1:7)





"For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)





These are just a few of the many promises God makes to us.





Heartache comes in many different forms. Loss through death is only one source. Scripture ministers to our pain.


 



I'm sure you have your own verses that have brought you comfort through the storms of life. Maybe you're in a storm right now and God has reminded you through scripture of His presence. Would you be willing to share one of them in the comment section? I know they will be an encouragement to all of us. Especially to those who may be in the midst of their own storm today.





Another source of encouragement is music. Today's music video is God Will Make A Way by Don Moen.





I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
















16 comments

  1. Great post Nancy. God called my dear husband home 10 years ago & I still have times of grief. Jesus has seen me through these years with His comforting Word. ~ I really enjoy Don Moen’s music. Very encouraging & soothing. ~ Have a wonderful 2023! ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Dear Friend, I have seen you handle the homegoing of your husband with grace and great faith. You have been an inspiration to me. Warm hugs.

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  2. I'm so sorry for the loss your friend experienced last week. The passing of my Gram was similar, we grieved her loss on her earth, but rejoiced at her presence now with the Lord. A particular comforting passage of scripture to me the last few days has been Isaiah 51, and especially verse 11, although the entire chapter is beautiful. It shares that no matter how evil seems to succeed now, there is coming a day when Jesus will reign. Vs 11: Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. " This is our great hope! Someday... we will sorrow no more. Our sorrow will be turned into everlasting joy. This is the great hope that we as Christians possess! Many blessings and Happy New Year wishes to you dear friend!

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    1. Marilyn, thank you for sharing the comfort and encouragement Isaiah penned for us so long ago. The beauty of God's word is that it is ever relevant. God bless you and keep you always. xo

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  3. Dear Nancy, thank you for this beautiful post and comforting words. The love of my life passed away in December, so this post is God sent. I have a hard time getting through each day as the pain is overwhelming. You and your friend are in my thoughts and prayers. So happy that I am able to leave comments now on your wonderful blog. Wishing you peace and health now and always.

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    1. Yvonne, you have my deepest sympathy. I'm so sorry. God loves you so much. I know He will bring you through this very difficult time. I will be praying for you. Love and gentle hugs.

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  4. Be anxious for nothing, but everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phil 4:13

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    1. Two verses that have been so important in my own life. Thank you for sharing!

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  5. One of my favorites, that I have taped to the wall by my computer is "Be anxious in nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillippians 4:6-7". Amen... Marilyn

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    1. Once again, Philippians 4:6-7 is shared. I love this scripture so much, Marilyn. I discovered it as a very young Christian, and it has benefited me greatly. Thank you for sharing, my friend. I love that you have this taped to the wall by your computer. xo

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  6. I'm sorry for the loss your friend went through.
    You shared so many good verses. I really like the passage from Isaiah, because someone I know clung to that verse as he was dying. There is so much comfort in God's word.

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  7. This was such an encouraging post! One of the passages I cling to when things seem so dark and hopeless and the enemy is telling me I will not make it through is Psalm 27. I love it all, but here are verses 13 & 14, "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." Speaking Scriptures like this out loud wields SO much power! It is a mighty weapon against satan and his vile lies. May God bless you in a special way in this new year, sweet friend.

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  8. This post has obviously touched many hearts Nancy. I remember when my Grandma and my Mom's best friend both passed away suddenly on the same day. I didn't think my Mom would ever be the same but years later she shared with me the verse that se said got her through the toughest moments.
    "I will lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber." Psalm 121:1-3
    My prayers will be with you and your friend in the coming days.
    Blessings and love,
    Betsy

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  9. It's sometimes easy to get stuck in grief and feel that God has abandoned you.
    That is a huge lie that Satan tries to sneak into our thoughts . . . remember that he is a liar and our Lord is a teller of Truth.

    "God is our refuge and strength, an even present help in trouble" Psalms 46:1

    When those feeling come into your head go to God's Word and read because . . .
    "The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple" Psalm 19:7

    "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5

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  10. I was severely tested by a very difficult divorce after 35 years of marriage. Yes, I heard and clung onto many of those verses....but sometimes all I could muster up was
    Pslam 46:10 ...."Be still and know that I am God" and Exodus 14:14...."The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still." HE did see me through, gloriously!!!
    Addie

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  11. He will never leave us nor forsake us!

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Your comments bring me joy! Thanks for stopping by.