Grounded

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10 ESV)

Are you tired of struggling? Trying to pay bills, increasing the cost of daily items, and having to pay for gas to go to work, chapel, or wherever else we travel causes suffering. If you are like me, God has placed a cross on your shoulder, a health issue that you must carry every day that cannot be resolved. It is tiresome, all of it, but it is necessary.

The Christian journey is not a walk in the park, and it may even get tougher before it gets better. But remember, you're not alone in this. Financial struggles may push us to be more responsible, but the Lord will bear everything else for you. As Paul once said, everything else outside of Christ is rubbish.

Recently, someone who knew me found out I was a minister. They said they knew there was something different with me because I was so grounded, whatever that meant, but I took it as a compliment, giving God all the credit.

What do people see when they look at you? I have friends who write here—one who counsels on what gets written here and one who serves with me in another ministry. When I look at these brothers, I see Christ. Their demeanor and their happiness are what "ground " them, they are grounded in Christ.

Peter writes of grace, the grace of the Lord. It is he who restores, and as the writer of Psalm 4 reminds us, “Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart,” Our happiness comes from the grace of God. Our understanding and faith that God provides what we need (not what we want) gives us assurance. Those assurances remove burdens and lift the stress from our hearts and minds. We become happier and more satisfied with God. We become “grounded.”

Happiness is a state of mind. Wrap your mind around God, trust in Him, and be satisfied. Do His work out of love. God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. Worship and glorify God by your faith, trust, and happiness in God himself. Paul often spoke of the free gift of Jesus Christ through faith. The beautiful thing is that God is not only the giver of the gift, but He is the gift Himself. Through God, we get God. That, my brothers and sisters, is grace!

In Peter's words,

Grace and Peace!