When life hurts we have to hold on tight. One person’s experience is very different to another’s. At certain junctions in the journey of life we will be forced into situations that we don’t like or even question why is this happening? What have I done to deserve this? These are the questions of shock when the rug has been pulled away from us and everything we thought was secure we realise is not secure at all. I guess we can see now why Jesus said to be careful where we place our security.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

There are no answers as to the why things happen, often just the reality of what we have to pass through and yes, it is a passing through not set up camp and remain place.  We have to hold on whilst we pass through. This holding on enables us to cope mentally, physically and emotionally. There are some other questions that we can ask to help us along the way. This is what I try do in moments when the rug is pulled from underneath.

Discover where is God in the situation and what is He saying? If we can get God’s now word to us on a situation we have something to pray each day and aim for. The temptation we will face is to overshare with lots of people who will all have a different voice and ideas. That will bring confusion. Sit with God and seek Him out to hear His voice and ideas they are far better; then apply His wisdom and word to you by simply doing what He says.

The next thing is to find who are the trusted people who I can speak to? Those who will bring wisdom, hope and encouragement. We are not meant to go through things on our own if we try we will get lost in our heads and be battered by the situation we find ourselves in.  Our relationship with God is the most vital anchor for us and then trusted people who have a genuine care and love for us.

God places us in communities for a reason. I walked into a community meeting not long ago where we sang, prayed and listened to a preacher. I loved it and thought to myself this is great! I felt a sense of overwhelming peace, joy and renewed energy came over me. It took me from a dark place that had been looking to consume and lifted me to a hopeful lighter place. Being together in Christ shifts the darkness. It’s a supernatural thing that we can’t reason with but I know it works. I reckon that’s why the writer to the Hebrews asks us to “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Community is a place called home it creates a sense of belonging and a place where we are all on the same page what the Bible calls unity.

So, let’s try not to ask the wrong questions that lead us no where but rather ask some different questions that lead us by streams of living water along the journey. Hold on to God for He alone is our rock and is unchanging in all his ways.

If there is one message I could share again and again it would be to about the importance of knowing Jesus as our first love. Without realising we can gain lots of knowledge but have no living relationship with Jesus it can lead to developing a form of religion. It begins by starting to have laws and rules in our hearts that in turn become like idols we adhere to; creating a culture of this is the way. None of this is done intentionally it just happens over a period of time when maybe we take our eyes off of knowing Jesus as our first love swiftly moving into knowing lots about Him. Distraction, busyness, unexpected life events, anything can sneak in at any time.

I have found myself revisiting one question in myself “Where am I at with Jesus? Are my eyes still on Him and knowing Him and His ways as a priority or am I so full of idols in my heart I can no longer see the Jesus I first met many years ago?” It is no negative thing to keep a check on where we are at in our heart for as the Bible says in Proverbs 4: 23 “Guard your hearts for everything you do comes out of it.” Idols come as a seed, take root and before you know it we have a massive tree that takes some digging out. They turn up in subtle forms eventually stealing from us the life God has planned. Idols can definitely cause trouble for us.

So how do we uproot the idol seeds /trees that have grown and confused our walk with God into a legalistic religious snare. We can sit with Jesus at some point in the day ask him the question “where are we at then, are there any idols I need to release from my heart?” Let the Holy Spirit gently speak to you not to condemn or accuse but rather so we are set free to keep eyes fixed on our first love, Jesus Himself. Jesus gave up his very life for us all out of love and compassion toward us not duty.

In our garden we have an apple tree with lots of really small apples on it. I was asking why they are so small and my husband explained that when you prune a tree back it is able to produce larger apples in quality but less quantity of them. Best we hack the branches back then. As Jesus explained in the book of John chapter fifteen we go through pruning so the quality is better. It is for our own benefit. So, let’s embrace removing the idols and letting Jesus have more space, the quality of our lives will only improve as will our relationships with others and all we do for the Kingdom in the season.

John 15:1-4 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

In these difficult days we face we are facing loss of some sort. Loss of real-life relationships, routines, work, finances, travel, freedom of movement and for some loss of loved ones. I have daily found myself with a choice each day. Is my faith going to be on fire or under fire today?

Each day I am choosing to be on fire. Even when my feelings are quite low I am consciously choosing to be on fire with God. I think it is normal to feel low with so many unknown challenges and changes but how we mentally respond is vital to our long-term wellbeing. Whatever situations we may face we can still choose to live on fire through the power of the Holy Spirit living on the inside of each one of us.  We have so much to be thankful for.

The life,  death and resurrection of Jesus happed to attain eternal life in all abundance for humanity “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life John3:16.” When we are under fire we reflect on our security and assurance in and through Jesus Christ whatever happens. That is something to be thankful for.

We don’t have to let fear determine our life. We may feel apprehensive as we go to the supermarket but apprehension is not the same as living rooted in fear. Apprehension warns us to take good practical precautions when needed but we remain at peace; the presence of God himself with us. The gift that Jesus passed on.

In Psalm 43 we see the Psalmist speaking to himself and reminding himself how to overcome the low feelings when they try and land. Put our hope in God. Remind ourselves of who He is and what He has done for us personally, see Him as your saviour and your God. It is time to get back to basics in our faith and watch is become on fire again.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God” Psalm 43:5.
 
If you are struggling with fear there is no shame in that only please take the exit door on it today. Here is one thing I did myself a few weeks back to get back to basics and stop that fear coming on me. I felt to let God clean my heart again by speaking to God through praying a Psalm.

Psalm139: 23 -24
^“23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”.

I then spent some time in prayer to lay down the things God showed me. I then prayed Psalm 91 over my life giving up the spirit of fear and sensed  a stillness; God’s presence  starting to fall on me. I have placed my life firmly in the hands of God Himself.  Call it a decluttering of the baggage we can pick up as we go along.

Fear can be a door way for the devil to really mess with our hearts and minds and can cripple any faith we may have. If you are feeling the pressure of the crisis we find ourselves in then go ahead you will notice the presence of God and clear thinking being restored to you. We really don’t have anything to lose now by trusting in God. Jesus left His peace with us when we believe in Him so why not access that peace and notice your faith will be on fire and not under fire.