As the news shared the devastation and heartbreaking images, I found myself immediately immersed in the situation. My eyes glued to a screen that flooded my heart with so much sadness. Then the questions filled my mind. What is happening? Why is this happening? None of it made sense.
At that point, my youngest daughter came twirling into the room and bumped into the coffee table. The coffee table that held all the answers. There it was peeping out from under the Candy Land game I threw on top of it last week. Just beckoning me to open it.
Are you afraid today, friend? Are you searching for answers?
Then let’s find hope, together. Look no further than the promises found in His Word. Grab your Bible, (check under the coffee table) dust off the cover if needed, and let’s dive into some Scripture. Scripture that will offer us hope during these unsettling and uncertain times.
If you gain nothing else from reading this today, grasp this truth: The heart of the gospel is God’s love for you. That message is written all over the pages of His Word. No matter how challenging times get, we have a God who hears the cries of our hearts and wants nothing more than to settle our souls.
We may not understand the events going on in our world today, but we must remember that our God is still just and our God is still good. He is perfect, righteous, and holy. Our God will make good on His promises and will continue to love us unconditionally, protect us with His mighty hand, and offer us the hope and healing we are desperately seeking, and need.
So, let’s get wrapped in His love today and uncover His precious promises for us.
God’s Promise of Unfailing Love
We serve a God of love! We can’t always see God moving in the midst of uncertain times, but His loving hand is still in control. We also were never meant to completely understand His ways because they are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). His plan for everything in this life has a greater purpose than we will ever know.
However, no matter the outcome, God knows what is best for us. We have to hold on to that when we can’t wrap our minds around current events. When things don’t settle well and our thoughts wander down a destructive path, that is when we must trust God all the more. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Next time those images flood your brain and want to hold your heart hostage, shut it down and turn it off. Then open up God’s love story for you found in His Word and fill your mind, heart, and soul with His everlasting goodness.
Here are a few verses to lean on when you can’t feel the love of the Father:
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1
This is a call to action for us to share God’s love.
"Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his faithful love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34
In all things and times, hold on to His love and faithfulness.
"This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins." 1 John 4:9-0
This verse shows the powerful love God has for us. He sent His Son to save us from ourselves. Thank you, Lord!
Tuck these verses in your heart, write them down and place them around your home, and declare them over your life. No matter how violent things get in this world, our hearts must always align with His!
God’s Promise of Protection
We serve a God who protects us. It may be difficult to see as we watch current events unfold in front of us on a continual basis. As many of us get to see our children laugh, play, and twirl around in the living room bumping into furniture, we ache for the families who don’t have that freedom.
However, Jesus tells us that there will be wars and to not be alarmed, as such things have to happen before He returns (Matthew 24:6-8). War is all a part of God’s plan. He uses war as a form of justice. When we find ourselves seeking God’s protection, we also need to be confronted with humility, asking God to forgive us where we have failed.
Here are some verses to cling to when you’re frightened and searching for God’s protection:
"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Psalm 91:1-12
God protects us in many ways, including angels.
"My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies." 2 Samuel 22:3-4
By praising God, He will be our safety net and refuge in time of need.
"The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 2 Timothy 4:18
Death is not the end. It is only the beginning with our Lord. We have hope in a life after this one!
When your mind wants to travel down the path of fear, hold on to this – the words “do not fear” are mentioned in the Bible 365 times. That means that we should be fearless for every single day of the year! Give your anxious heart to God and let Him lead and protect you and your family.
God’s Promise of Hope and Healing
We serve a God that offers hope and healing. In these uncertain times, our hearts desperately need hope. These past two years have been a wild ride that’s brought about a lot of confusion.
When our world feels a little off, and shaky, that’s when we need to turn to an unshakable God. Our world may be drastically changing, but our God still remains the same. Just as He came through for every battle in Scripture, He will come through for His people today. He can provide hope and healing to your wounded heart.
Let God into the messy parts of your life and ask Him to intervene. God knows there is so much more than the issues we see in front of us today. He sees the whole picture. When we go to Him in prayer, offering Him our heart, He can create beautiful masterpieces out of our broken pieces.
Here are a few verses to lean on when you are searching for hope and healing:
“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17
God is the ultimate Healer.
"Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me." Psalms 30:2
God will help when we cry out to Him.
"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
We can share hope and healing with others. Now is our time to do so!
A Prayer for the Unsettled Heart
Dear Father,
We thank You, Lord, for offering us Your precious promises. You are such a good Father. Help us see You and the promises you scatter throughout Your Word when we can’t make sense of this world. Please bring our hearts the comfort and peace as only You can. We ask for healing upon our nation and around the world. We ask You to lead and guide our leaders and protect Your people. We ask that You bring us to a point where we see our sins and bring them to You with a humble heart.
We ask all these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Zinkevych
Alicia Searl is a devotional author, blogger, and speaker that is passionate about pouring out her heart and pointing ladies of all ages back to Jesus. She has an education background and master’s in literacy. Her favorite people call her Mom, which is why much of her time is spent cheering them on at a softball game or dance class. She is married to her heartthrob (a tall, spiky-haired blond) who can whip up a mean latte. She sips that goodness while writing her heart on a page while her puppy licks her feet. Visit her website at aliciasearl.com and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.