Tag: Strength

Our Citizenship in Christ

Today’s a new day!

Today I’m reminded of something I deeply love about the Church.

It has never belonged to one country.

It belongs to Christ.

That truth has been evident since the very beginning. Jesus didn’t come to establish an earthly kingdom defined by borders, flags, political parties, or national identities. He came to establish an eternal Kingdom made up of redeemed people from every corner of the earth.

One of my favorite pictures in all of Scripture is found in Revelation 5:9:

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy… because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.'”

What an incredible image.

Around the throne of Jesus there won’t be one nation represented above another. There won’t be political divisions or cultural superiority. There won’t be earthly labels separating us.

There will simply be worship.

People from every tribe.
Every language.
Every people.
Every nation.

All united by one Savior.

I’m grateful for the freedoms many of us enjoy. They are tremendous blessings that should never be taken for granted. But I’m also grateful for my brothers and sisters around the world who faithfully follow Jesus under circumstances I can hardly imagine. Some worship in beautiful church buildings. Others gather quietly in homes. Some sing openly without fear. Others whisper their praises because following Christ could cost them everything.

Yet we are one Church.

One Body.

One family.

The Church has always been much bigger than any nation and much greater than any government. Kingdoms rise and fall. Borders change. Leaders come and go. But the Kingdom of God continues to grow, one transformed life at a time.

That reminds me where my deepest identity truly belongs.

It isn’t found in my citizenship.

It isn’t found in my political affiliation.

It isn’t found in my nationality.

It is found in Jesus Christ.

As followers of Christ, we’re called to love our neighbors, pray for our leaders, serve our communities, and be good citizens wherever God has placed us. But above all else, we remember that our ultimate allegiance belongs to the King of Kings.

As Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:20:

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

May we never allow earthly differences to overshadow our heavenly unity.

May we celebrate the beautiful diversity of God’s family.

May we pray for believers across the globe with the same love we have for those sitting beside us each Sunday.

And may we live every day remembering that before we are anything else, we are followers of Jesus.

The Church has never belonged to one country.

It belongs to Christ.

And one glorious day, people from every tribe, every language, every people, and every nation will gather around His throne with one voice, proclaiming:

“Worthy is the Lamb!”

0

If We Don’t Look And Act Like Jesus, Why Would Anyone Want Jesus?

Today’s a new day! ~OC

One of the hardest questions I wrestle with is this:

If I didn’t know Jesus, would the way many Christians act make me want to know Him… or run the other direction?

That’s not a question for “those Christians.” It’s a question for every one of us who claims His name.

Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with people who don’t believe in Christ. What has surprised me isn’t that they reject Jesus. In fact, many don’t.

Most have no problem with Jesus.

They admire His compassion. They respect His love for the forgotten. They appreciate that He defended the outcast, touched the untouchable, forgave sinners, and confronted religious hypocrisy.

The problem they keep describing isn’t Jesus.

The problem is many of the people who claim to represent Him.

They see Christians who are quicker to judge than to listen.

Quicker to condemn than to comfort.

Quicker to win an argument than to win a soul.

Quicker to defend a political party than to defend the Gospel.

They hear us talk about love while watching us treat people with contempt.

They hear us preach grace while refusing to extend it.

They hear us speak about forgiveness while clinging to bitterness.

Can we really blame a hurting world for being confused?

Jesus said the world would know we belong to Him by our love—not by our outrage, our social media posts, our political victories, or our ability to prove someone wrong.

The early Church turned the world upside down because they looked like Jesus.

They served.

They sacrificed.

They forgave.

They loved people no one else wanted.

They cared for the poor.

They welcomed the stranger.

They laid down their lives rather than demand their rights.

Somewhere along the way, too many of us have become known more for what we’re against than for Who we follow.

That should break our hearts.

The Church was never called to mirror the culture. We were called to reflect Christ.

Being the hands and feet of Jesus isn’t a catchy phrase. It’s our calling.

It means feeding the hungry.

Visiting the lonely.

Welcoming the broken.

Standing with the hurting.

Speaking truth with humility.

Offering grace without compromising the Gospel.

Loving people before expecting them to live like believers.

The world is desperately searching for hope.

Searching for purpose.

Searching for unconditional love.

Searching for life.

They’re looking everywhere because too often they don’t see those things in us.

Imagine what would happen if Christians became impossible to hate—not because we compromised truth, but because we loved so radically that even those who disagreed with us couldn’t deny the presence of Christ.

Imagine if our first instinct was mercy instead of judgment.

Listening instead of assuming.

Serving instead of demanding.

Loving instead of labeling.

That’s exactly what Jesus did.

The Gospel has never changed.

Jesus has never changed.

His love still transforms lives.

His grace still saves.

His cross is still enough.

Maybe the greatest revival our communities need doesn’t begin with the lost finding Jesus.

Maybe it begins with the Church looking like Jesus again.

Lord, let us be known for our love.

Let our words match our witness.

Let our lives point people toward You instead of away from You.

May we never become a stumbling block to those You came to save.

May we truly become Your hands and feet in a world desperate to experience Your hope, Your grace, and Your life.

Amen.

0

Dear God, We Give You This Moment

Today’s a new day!

This past Friday, the church Laura and I are currently attending experienced an unimaginable tragedy. The sixteen-year-old grandson of the founding pastor lost his life in a diving accident.

There are moments in life when words seem painfully inadequate. No explanation can remove the grief. No sermon can erase the tears. No answer can completely satisfy the questions that arise when a young life is taken far too soon.

My heart breaks for his family. It breaks for his friends. It breaks for this church family and for everyone whose life was touched by this remarkable young man.

Today, I simply pray:

Jesus, surround them with Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Hold them close when the silence feels overwhelming. Be their comfort when words fail. Be their strength when every step feels impossible.

Scripture reminds us that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Those words are not clichés. They are promises for moments exactly like this.

As believers, we don’t grieve without hope. We grieve honestly. We cry. We ask questions. We lean on one another. And we cling to the One who has already conquered death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While none of us can fully understand why tragedies like this happen, I believe God is able to meet people in the deepest valleys of life. Throughout history, He has brought hope where there was despair, healing where there were wounds, and faith where there were questions. I pray He will do that again in our community.  

My prayer is that, even in the midst of heartbreaking loss, people throughout our county will encounter the love, grace, and presence of Jesus in a way they never have before. I pray that those who have drifted from God will seek Him. I pray that those who have never known Him will discover the hope found only in Christ. I pray that our churches will become places where the hurting are welcomed, the broken are loved, and the Gospel is lived with compassion.

Revival has often begun not in moments of comfort, but in moments when people recognized their desperate need for God. I pray that our response to this tragedy will be to love more deeply, serve more faithfully, pray more earnestly, and point more clearly to Jesus.

Today, there are no easy answers.

Only a Savior who weeps with those who weep.

Only a Shepherd who walks through the valley with His sheep.

Only a King who defeated death and promises eternal life to those who trust in Him.

So today, as one church family, one community, and one body of Christ…

Dear God, we give You this moment.

Bring comfort where there is sorrow.

Bring peace where there is anxiety.

Bring hope where there is despair.

Bring healing where hearts have been shattered.

And may Your love shine so brightly through Your people that many come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Please join me in praying for this precious family, for the church family, and for everyone affected by this heartbreaking loss.~OC

1

Faces Covered, Hearts Exposed: What This Train Car Teaches Us About Hate And Christian Nationalism

Courage vs Cowards

Today’s a new day! Here are my thoughts on this photo taken on the Metro in Washington, D.C. The following are my thoughts and opinions. If you happen to disagree with me, I encourage you to take it up with God.

Look at this photo. A young woman sits alone on a train, surrounded by dozens of men in matching uniforms, faces covered, patches bearing flags. She meets the camera’s eye. They refuse to be seen.

This image is a parable. And it’s the opposite of the Gospel.

The Gospel unmasks. Hate hides.

Jesus never hid His face. He wept publicly, prayed publicly, died publicly. “I have spoken openly to the world,” He told His accusers. (John 18:20)

Hate loves masks. It loves anonymity, mobs, and intimidation. Why? Because deeds done in darkness don’t survive the light (John 3:20). When an ideology needs to cover faces to deliver its message, it’s already confessed something about that message.

Christian Nationalism too often puts a mask on Jesus. It takes the crucified Savior and dresses Him in the uniform of earthly power. But Christ doesn’t need our flags stitched to His robe. “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). When we try to make it of this world, we end up looking like this train car: coercive, not compelling.

The Gospel draws near. Hate surrounds.

Notice the posture here. One person, isolated. Many others, standing, looming. That’s not how Jesus moved through crowds. 

He touched lepers when others stepped back. He invited Zacchaeus down from a tree when the crowd boxed him out. He stopped for the woman no one else would look at. The Gospel breaks circles of exclusion. Hate forms them.

Christian Nationalism, at its worst, baptizes “us vs. them.” It defines who belongs and who threatens. But the cross destroyed the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). If our faith needs an enemy to stay strong, it isn’t Christian faith. It’s civil religion with a cross necklace.

The Gospel sees the individual. Hate sees categories.

I don’t know the woman’s name in the photo. You don’t either. But God does. She isn’t a symbol. She’s a person made in His image (Genesis 1:27)

Movements built on hate don’t see people. They see demographics, threats, problems to solve. They make you afraid to sit alone on a train in your own city. 

Jesus’s first question to people was often, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). He saw individuals. Christian Nationalism tends to see a “nation to save” and turns people into footnotes. When saving “America” matters more than loving the person next to you on the Metro, we’ve lost the plot.

So what do we do when the train car feels like the world?

Uncover our own faces: Confess where contempt has crept into our hearts. It’s easy to hate the masked men too. Jesus doesn’t give us that option. “Love your enemies” (Luke 6:27) includes them.

Sit with the isolated: Who in your life feels like that woman on the train? The Gospel moves us toward them, not away. Proximity kills caricatures.

Refuse the idols of power and fear: The early church changed the Roman Empire without voting, lobbying, or taking up swords. They did it by loving radically and dying well. Our witness still works that way.

Remember what we’re witnessing to: Not a Christian nation. A crucified Christ. “We preach Christ crucified… the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). 

This photo should grieve us. Not just because of what it says about them, but because of what it reveals about us. Every one of those masked hearts was knit together by God. Every one of them is someone Christ died for. So is she. So are you. So am I.

Hate says, “Cover your face and find your strength in numbers.” 

Jesus says, “Take up your cross and find your life by losing it.”

The train is still running. The choice is still ours. Which kingdom will we board? ~OC

1

God, What Are You Trying To Teach Me?

Today’s a new day!

Over the past twenty-plus years, I have walked through one of the most difficult journeys of my life. There have been diagnoses I never expected, hospital stays, surgeries, treatments, setbacks, moments of uncertainty, and seasons where I had no idea what tomorrow would bring.

People have often asked me, “Have you ever asked God, ‘Why me?'”

My answer has always been the same.

No.

Not because there is anything wrong with asking that question. In fact, many faithful men and women throughout Scripture poured out their hearts before God. They asked difficult questions. They lamented. They cried. They wrestled with pain. God is not afraid of our honest questions.

But for me personally, “Why me?” was never the question God placed on my heart.

Instead, from the very beginning of this journey, another question kept rising within me:

“God, what are You trying to teach me in this season?”

That simple shift changed everything.

Instead of only looking for an explanation, I began looking for His presence.

Instead of demanding answers, I started seeking wisdom.

Instead of focusing only on what I had lost, I began discovering what God was building inside of me.

Looking back over these twenty-plus years, I realize that some of life’s greatest lessons weren’t learned on the mountaintops. They were learned in hospital rooms, waiting rooms, sleepless nights, rehabilitation sessions, and quiet moments when all I could do was trust Jesus.

So, what has God taught me?

I’m glad you asked.

God has taught me that my identity is not found in my health but in Him.

When your body begins to fail, you quickly discover that your worth isn’t measured by what you can accomplish. My value has never been based on my strength, my productivity, or my abilities. My identity has always been found in being a child of God.

God has taught me that weakness is not failure.

The world celebrates strength, but God’s Kingdom often works through weakness. It is often in our weakest moments that His strength shines the brightest. My limitations have become opportunities for His power to be displayed.

God has taught me patience.

Healing rarely happens on our timetable. Answers don’t always come when we want them. Waiting has never been easy, but waiting with Jesus has shaped my faith in ways instant answers never could.

God has taught me to treasure every single day.

When you’ve stared mortality in the face, ordinary days become extraordinary gifts. A sunrise. A conversation with my bride, Laura. A laugh with a friend. A walk outside. These are no longer ordinary moments—they are reminders of God’s goodness.

God has taught me compassion.

Pain has a way of opening your eyes to the suffering of others. I have learned to notice the people sitting quietly in waiting rooms, the caregivers who are exhausted, the families praying for miracles, and the person who simply needs someone to listen.

God has taught me that prayer changes me.

Sometimes God changes our circumstances.

Sometimes He changes us while we’re in them.

Both are miracles.

God has taught me that hope is never wasted.

Hope isn’t pretending everything is okay.

Hope is believing that Jesus is still faithful when everything around you says otherwise.

Hope is trusting His promises even when you cannot yet see His plan.

Most importantly…

God has taught me that He will never leave me.

Not once.

Not in the emergency room.

Not in the hospital room.

Not during surgery.

Not during the difficult diagnoses.

Not during the darkest nights.

Not during the countless doctor’s appointments.

Not during the moments when I didn’t know what the future would hold.

Jesus has been faithful every single step of the journey.

If you’re reading this while walking through your own difficult season, maybe your question today is, “God, why me?”

If that’s where you are, know this: God welcomes your honesty.

But perhaps, when you’re ready, you might also ask another question:

“Lord, what are You trying to teach me in this season?”

That question doesn’t minimize the pain.

It doesn’t erase the tears.

It doesn’t guarantee immediate answers.

But it does position our hearts to receive what God may be doing beneath the surface.

I’ve learned that while God may not always remove the storm immediately, He is always present within it. Sometimes the greatest miracle isn’t that our circumstances change overnight—it’s that Christ transforms us as we walk through them.

My health journey has been long.

It has been difficult.

It has been painful.

But by God’s grace, it has also been one of the greatest classrooms of my life.

And for every lesson, every trial, every unexpected detour, and every reminder that His grace is sufficient…

I simply say:

“Thank You, Jesus.

Now, Lord…

What would You like to teach me next?” ~OC

0

Stop Negotiating The Terms Of Your Surrender To God

Today’s a new day!

One of the greatest struggles in the Christian life is not whether we believe in God—it is whether we are willing to surrender everything to Him.

Too often, we approach God with conditions.

“Lord, I’ll follow You… as long as You don’t ask me to give that up.”

“I’ll trust You… if You tell me the whole plan first.”

“I’ll obey… if it doesn’t cost me too much.”

“I’ll forgive… but only if they apologize.”

“I’ll go wherever You lead… except there.”

Without realizing it, we begin negotiating the terms of our surrender.

But surrender isn’t a negotiation.

It’s an act of complete trust.

Jesus never invited His disciples into a contract where both sides could bargain. He invited them into a relationship built on faith, love, and obedience.

When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” He didn’t hand them a detailed itinerary. He didn’t promise comfort, popularity, or an easy life. He simply asked them to trust Him.

And they did.

Real surrender says:

“Jesus, I don’t need to know every step because I know the One who is leading me.”

That kind of faith changes everything.

The truth is, partial surrender is still resistance.

When we hold tightly to our plans, our fears, our pride, our bitterness, or our desire for control, we leave little room for God to do what only He can do.

God isn’t trying to take something good away from us.

He is trying to give us something far greater than we could ever create on our own.

Many of us spend years asking God to bless our plans instead of asking Him to replace them with His.

Yet Scripture reminds us that His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are higher than ours. What feels like a loss in the moment often becomes the doorway to God’s greatest blessings.

Looking back over my own life, I can honestly say that some of the hardest seasons were also the seasons that taught me the deepest lessons about surrender.

Illness.

Loss.

Disappointment.

Waiting.

None of those chapters were easy.

But every one of them taught me that God’s faithfulness is not dependent upon my understanding.

There were moments when I wanted answers.

God invited me to trust.

There were moments when I wanted control.

God invited me to surrender.

There were moments when I wanted my own timeline.

God reminded me that His timing is always perfect.

I’ve learned that peace doesn’t come from having every question answered.

Peace comes from placing every unanswered question into the hands of Jesus.

The cross itself is the ultimate picture of surrender.

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane,

“Not My will, but Yours be done.”

If the Son of God surrendered Himself completely to the Father’s will, how much more should we?

God cannot fully direct a life that refuses to let go of the steering wheel.

He calls us to lay down our dreams, our fears, our expectations, our comfort, our pride, and even our understanding.

Not because He wants less for us.

Because He wants more.

His plans are always better than our plans.

His purpose is greater than our preferences.

His peace is deeper than our control.

So today, stop negotiating the terms of your surrender.

Stop asking God to fit into your agenda.

Instead, ask Him to make your heart fit His.

Lay everything at the foot of the Cross.

Hold nothing back.

Trust Him with the parts of your life that feel uncertain.

Give Him your future.

Give Him your pain.

Give Him your dreams.

Give Him your fears.

Give Him everything.

Because the safest place you will ever be is completely surrendered to Jesus Christ.

True freedom is not found in controlling your life.

It is found in placing your life into the hands of the One who gave His life for you.

Today is a good day to stop negotiating…

…and simply say,

“Lord Jesus, I am Yours.

Have Your way in me.”

Amen. ~OC

0

The Morning That Changed My Prayer Life Forever

This is the second of two deeply personal experiences that I have shared publicly for the very first time.

The first was my experience during surgery in 2019, when I believe God allowed me to see Heaven before telling me, “Not yet. I still have more work for you to do.”

This is the story of another experience that forever changed how I pray, how I love people, and how urgently I believe Christians should share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

After the miracle God performed in my life in November of 2019, something incredible happened.

For a season, God allowed me to run again.

Considering everything my body had endured through years of illness, surgeries, and suffering, every mile felt like a gift from God. Every run became an opportunity not only to exercise but also to pray.

On a Thursday morning in October of 2020, I headed out for what I thought would be another ordinary run.

As I ran past Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida, I did what I had done countless times before. I prayed for the doctors, nurses, staff, patients, and families. I asked Jesus to bring healing, peace, wisdom, comfort, and hope to everyone inside those walls.

A little farther into my run, I decided to stop at a men’s Bible study in Jupiter. We spent time praying together, encouraging one another, and opening God’s Word. It was a wonderful morning of fellowship.

After the Bible study, I decided to continue my run before heading home.

That’s when everything changed.

As I ran down Central Boulevard near the park affectionately known as “Duck Park,” life seemed completely normal. The sky was bright blue. The weather was cool. People were jogging, riding bicycles, walking, and driving by.

Then, in what felt like only moments, everything around me changed.

The blue skies disappeared.

Darkness surrounded me.

The temperature became unbearably hot.

What I experienced next is something that has stayed with me every single day since.

I believe God allowed me, for only a few brief moments, to experience something I can only describe as a glimpse of hell.

Around me I heard people crying out in desperation.

They were screaming.

Over and over I heard words that pierced my heart:

“Why didn’t anyone tell us about Jesus?”

“Why did so many Christians give up on us?”

Those cries echoed with an anguish that is impossible to put into words.

What made the experience even more overwhelming was that I could still see people running, riding bicycles, and driving as they had been only moments before, yet in this experience they too were crying out with the very same questions.

The entire experience lasted only a matter of seconds.

Then it was over.

I have often joked that I could have qualified for the Olympic team by how fast I ran home that morning.

But behind the humor is a truth that has never left me.

That morning changed my life forever.

Whether I am speaking with one person or a thousand people, I can no longer look at anyone the same way.

Every person I meet has an eternal soul.

Every conversation matters.

Every act of kindness matters.

Every prayer matters.

Every opportunity to share the love of Jesus matters.

I don’t believe Christians are called to preach with condemnation or fear. We are called to preach with tears in our eyes, compassion in our hearts, and the love of Christ leading every word we speak.

Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world.

He came to save it.

That experience gave me an urgency that has never faded.

I still wake up every day asking God, “Who needs to hear about You today? Who needs encouragement today? Who needs hope today? Who needs someone to remind them that they are loved by God?”

I believe every follower of Jesus should live with that same sense of eternal purpose—not out of panic, but out of love.

People all around us are searching for hope.

Many have never truly experienced the grace of Jesus.

Many have been hurt by people who claimed to represent Him.

Many have concluded that no one cares enough to tell them the truth wrapped in love.

May that never be said of us.

This is the first time I have publicly shared both of these experiences—my encounter in Heaven during surgery in 2019 and this life-changing experience during a morning run in October of 2020.

Both have been incredibly difficult to share, each for different reasons.

I know there will be questions.

There may even be skepticism.

I understand that.

My goal has never been to convince anyone based on my experiences.

My prayer is simply that my testimony points people to Jesus Christ.

If these stories encourage even one person to seek Him more deeply, to pray more faithfully, to love more compassionately, or to boldly share the Gospel with someone who needs hope, then sharing them will have been worth it.

As Scripture reminds us:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

May we never grow comfortable with keeping the greatest news the world has ever known to ourselves.

There are people waiting to hear about the Savior who changed our lives.

Let’s tell them. ~OC

0

A New Week

A new week is a gift from God. It arrives with fresh opportunities, new mercies, and another chance to reflect the love of Jesus to a world that desperately needs hope. No matter what happened last week—the victories, the disappointments, the unanswered prayers, or the unexpected challenges—today is a new beginning.

As we step into this week, let’s choose to fill our hearts with hope, praise, and thanksgiving. Hope reminds us that God is still working, even when we cannot see it. Praise shifts our focus from our problems to His promises. Thanksgiving reminds us that every good gift comes from our Heavenly Father, even in seasons when life feels difficult.

This week, let us truly strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

There are people all around us who are carrying burdens that we know nothing about. A smile, an encouraging word, a helping hand, or simply taking time to listen may be exactly what someone needs. Jesus didn’t just preach about love—He demonstrated it every single day. As His followers, we are called to do the same.

Take a few moments this week to reach out to a friend or a loved one. Send a text. Make a phone call. Share a cup of coffee. Ask them how they’re really doing. Sometimes the greatest ministry is simply showing someone they haven’t been forgotten.

Our world often seems filled with negativity. It’s easy to become discouraged when we focus only on the headlines, the conflicts, or the disappointments around us. But as followers of Christ, we are called to fix our eyes on what is good, honorable, and praiseworthy. Instead of dwelling on the darkness, let us become people who shine the light of Christ wherever we go. 

Let’s also make a conscious decision to be kind this week.

Kindness costs us very little, but it can mean everything to someone else. A kind word can encourage a weary heart. A patient response can calm a difficult situation. A generous act can remind someone that God sees them and cares for them.

May this also be a week marked by love, respect, and compassion.

Love people without expecting anything in return.

Respect those who think differently than you.

Show compassion to those who are hurting, struggling, or simply feeling alone.

When we live this way, we become living examples of Christ’s love.

As you begin this new week, remember that you may be the only glimpse of Jesus someone sees. Let your words bring hope. Let your actions reflect His grace. Let your heart overflow with gratitude. And wherever God leads you this week, be faithful in the little things, because God often uses small acts of obedience to accomplish extraordinary things.

May your week be filled with God’s peace, His strength, and His joy. May you walk in hope, live with purpose, and leave every person you encounter knowing they have been loved.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

Have a blessed week, and let’s go be the hands and feet of Jesus. ~OC

0

God Is Still In Control

Today’s a new day! 

Life has a way of shaking us.

There are moments when the phone rings with news we never wanted to hear. There are seasons when the bills pile up, the job applications go unanswered, and the storms of life seem to come one after another. In those moments, fear whispers that we’ve been abandoned.

But the truth of God’s Word says something completely different.

God is still in control.

When the doctor walks into the room and uses the word “cancer,” God is still in control.

When you’ve been laid off and you’re desperately looking for a job, God is still in control.

When you’re walking through a season of grief, God is still in control. 

When life’s storms crash against your family, your finances, your health, or your faith, God is still in control.

Our circumstances may change overnight, but God’s character never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The God who parted the Red Sea, shut the mouths of lions, raised Lazarus from the dead, and conquered the grave through Jesus Christ has not lost a single ounce of His power.

That doesn’t mean life will always be easy. It doesn’t mean we won’t cry or ask difficult questions. Even Jesus wept.

But it does mean we never face our battles alone.

God walks beside us through every diagnosis.

He stands with us during every interview.

God holds us loss in our grief. 

He guides us in every business deal.

He comforts us through every storm.

He carries us when we don’t have the strength to take another step.

Jesus extends a beautiful invitation to every weary heart:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Today, whatever burden you’re carrying, don’t keep trying to carry it by yourself.

Lay your fears at His feet.

Lay your anxiety at His feet.

Lay your sickness at His feet.

Lay your financial worries at His feet.

Lay your broken heart at His feet.

Lay your business deals at His feet.

Lay your future at His feet.

The burden may feel too heavy for your shoulders, but it has never been too heavy for His.

Trust Him even when you cannot see the outcome.

Hold on even when the answers haven’t come yet.

Keep praying even when heaven seems quiet.

Keep believing because God’s silence is never His absence.

The storm you’re facing today is not greater than the Savior who stands with you in it.

No matter what tomorrow brings, one truth remains forever:

God is still in control.

Prayer:

Heavenly Jesus, 

Today I lay every burden at Your feet. You know every fear, every tear, every unanswered prayer, and every uncertainty in my life. Help me to trust You when I cannot understand what You are doing. Fill my heart with Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Strengthen my faith, remind me of Your promises, and help me keep my eyes fixed on Jesus through every storm. Thank You for never leaving me or forsaking me. I choose today to trust that You are still on the throne and still in control.

In Jesus’ mighty and loving name we pray… Amen.

~OC

0

The Waiting Room And The Tension

Today’s a new day! 

There is a place many Christians know all too well. It is not a destination we choose, but a season we often find ourselves walking through. 

It is the waiting room.

The waiting room is where prayers have been prayed, tears have been shed, faith has been declared, and yet the answer has not fully arrived. It is the place between God’s promise and its fulfillment. It is where hope and uncertainty seem to wrestle with one another every day.

And if we’re honest, the waiting room can be uncomfortable.

It is filled with tension.

The tension of believing God for healing while still feeling pain.

The tension of trusting God for provision while the bills continue to arrive.

The tension of knowing God’s promises while facing circumstances that seem to contradict them.

The tension of saying, “I know God is faithful,” while wondering when His answer will come.

Yet throughout Scripture, we see that God often does some of His greatest work in the waiting.

Abraham waited for the promised son.

Joseph waited through betrayal, slavery, and prison before stepping into his calling.

David waited years between being anointed king and actually becoming king.

The disciples waited after the resurrection before the Holy Spirit arrived.

Waiting has always been part of God’s process.

The waiting room is not punishment. It is preparation.

The tension is not evidence that God has abandoned you. Often, it is evidence that God is still working behind the scenes in ways you cannot yet see.

We live in a culture that wants everything immediately. We want instant answers, instant results, and instant breakthroughs. But God’s timetable is often different from ours. His goal is not merely to get us to the destination; His goal is to transform us along the journey.

Romans 5:3-4 reminds us:

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Notice the progression. God uses the difficult seasons to produce something deeper within us. The waiting room develops perseverance. The tension shapes character. The process strengthens hope.

In the waiting room, we learn to trust God’s heart even when we cannot trace His hand.

We learn that faith is not believing because we see the answer. Faith is believing because we know the One who holds the answer.

Some of the greatest testimonies are born in seasons of waiting. Some of the deepest intimacy with God is developed when there is nowhere else to turn but to Him.

If you find yourself in the waiting room today, do not lose heart.

God has not forgotten your prayers.

God has not overlooked your tears.

God has not misplaced His promises.

The tension you feel today is not the end of your story.

Keep praying.

Keep worshiping.

Keep trusting.

Keep taking the next faithful step.

One day you will look back and realize that what felt like a delay was actually God preparing you for something greater than you could see at the time.

The waiting room may be uncomfortable, but God is present there.

The tension may be real, but so is His faithfulness.

And while you wait, remember this truth: God is never late. He is always working, always faithful, and always worthy of your trust.

Your breakthrough may be closer than you think. ~OC

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑