A Deep Sigh of Relief in Troubled Times (Hebrews 13:8) - Your Daily Bible Verse - November 16
A Deep Sigh of Relief in Troubled Times (Hebrews 13:8)
By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)
I don’t know about you, but I find immense comfort in looking around at the ever-changing state of our culture and society and clinging to the truth that God never changes. Fads come and go, trends are born and then die, people’s opinions are easily swayed, but the Lord is true. He never veers from His Word. He never wonders if He interpreted this or that correctly, or if He heard something right, or if He understood someone accurately. God knows. God sees. God acts.
In an unprecedented year of viruses and mandates and masks, of political outrage, social issues, riots, and intense national division, the Lord reigns with all wisdom and knowledge. He hasn’t left His throne. He’s still in control and He still cares. How do we know this? Because the Bible tells us in Hebrews that the Lord never changes. The same God who cared for His people in the Old Testament is the same God who made a way via His Son, Jesus Christ, to offer forgiveness of sins and secure eternal life for His children.
Recognizing these facts about God doesn’t immediately solve the myriad of underlying issues with our country. But it does bring a huge amount of relief. It allows for the opportunity of a deep breath—a reset to inhale the truth of God’s Word and exhale the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV) Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
When I spend more time on social media or watching the news than I do in the Word, I get overwhelmed by the problems our country is facing. I grow easily weary and discouraged by the seemingly insurmountable divide of opinions and beliefs in our nation—sometimes, even among fellow believers! But when I step away from the voices of the world and focus instead on the voice of the one and only, unchanging God, I hear more clearly. Problems grow smaller when our view of God grows bigger.
During this difficult year of uncertainty, fear, and frustration, don’t focus so much on letting your opinion and voice be heard among the shouting matches. Make effort instead to focus on the word of God, and to rest in His unchanging truths. When you do, you’ll have more peace, comfort, and security than ever before—regardless of what the rest of 2020 brings.
Betsy St. Amant Haddox is the author of more than fifteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. She resides in north Louisiana with her hero of a hubby, two total-opposite young daughters, a vast collection of coffee mugs, and an impressive stash of Pickle chips. Betsy has a B.A. in Communications and a deep-rooted passion for seeing women restored in Christ. When she’s not sweating it out at Camp Gladiator or trying to prove unicorns are real, Betsy can usually be found somewhere in the vicinity of a white-chocolate mocha—no whip. Look for her latest novel with Revell, The Key To Love, coming October 2020. Visit her at https://www.betsystamant.com.
Related Resource: Praying Through Psalms 60: Victory in Hopeless Ground
What do you do when the battlefield stretches in every direction, and it looks like God Himself brought the defeat?
Join Jaime on the Praying Christian Women Podcast for a devotional on Psalm 60 — a raw, honest lament born out of being surrounded on all sides, where David dares to say You did this, God — and still picks up the banner and calls Him Lord.
Jaime unpacks the historical backdrop of David fighting enemies to the north, east, and south all at once, and shares a breathtaking story from her years near Death Valley — where barren, salt-crusted flats that look permanently dead suddenly erupted into a once-in-a-century bloom of purple wildflowers. Sometimes the victory is already buried right beneath the most hopeless-looking ground, waiting for God's rain to bring it to life. If this episode helps you navigate life with prayer and intention, be sure to follow Praying Christian Women on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
