Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you? . Life comes with seasons of uncertainty. Perhaps you are facing a season of crisis that never seems to end.

In seasons of uncertainty, it can be hard to know what the Lord is doing or why He has allowed you to face what you're going through. God doesn't seem to notice your tears. He doesn't seem to be doing anything. You may ask, "How can I go on like this?"

The enemy of our soul wants us to doubt that God even cares. Know this, God is always working, and He is always in control.

Hold tight to the promises of God. His plans for your life will not and cannot be thwarted (Job 42:1-2). And even if we are faithless, He still remains faithful! (2 Timothy 2:13). No situation we face in this life will ever be too hard for God.

The Christian life is supposed to be one of death to self in order to live a life by faith. Paul told the Galatians “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Being crucified with Christ means that our old nature has been nailed to the cross and has been replaced by a new nature which is Christ’s (1 Corinthians 5:17). He who loved us and died for us now lives in us and the life we live is by faith in Him. It means sacrificing our own desires, ambitions, and glories and replacing them with those of Christ. We can only do this by His power through the faith that He gives us by His grace.

For several months, I coped with intense workplace politics and intrigues. Worrying is second nature to me, so I was surprised to find myself at peace. Instead of feeling anxious, I was able to respond with a calm mind and heart. I knew that this peace could come only from God.

In contrast, there was another period in my life when everything was going well—and yet I felt a deep unrest in my heart. I knew it was because I was trusting in my own abilities instead of trusting God and His leading. Looking back, I’ve realized that true peace—God’s peace—isn’t defined by our circumstances, but by our trust in Him.

God’s peace comes to us when our minds are steadfast (Isaiah 26:3). In Hebrew, the word for steadfast means “to lean upon.” As we lean on Him, we’ll experience His calming presence.  We can trust in God, remembering that He’ll humble the proud and wicked and smooth the paths of those who love Him (vv. 5–7).

When I experienced peace in a season of difficulty rather than ease, I discovered that God’s peace isn’t an absence of conflict, but a profound sense of security even in distress. It’s a peace that surpasses human understanding and guards our hearts and minds in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances (Philippians 4:6−7).

—karen huang

In the Old Testament book of Joel, God called His people to true repentance for their sins as He welcomed them to return to Him wholeheartedly (2:12). God didn’t seek outward acts of remorse, but rather that they would soften their hard attitudes: “Rend your heart and not your garments.” Joel reminded the Israelites that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (v. 13).

We might find confessing our wrongdoing difficult, for in our pride we don’t want to admit our sins. Perhaps we’ve fudged the truth, and we justify our actions by saying it was only “a little white lie.” But when we heed God’s gentle yet firm prompting to repent, He’ll forgive us and cleanse us from all our sins (1 John 1:9). We can be free of guilt and shame, knowing we’re forgiven.

—amy boucher pye

1 Thessalonians 5:16

Rejoice always

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,

Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

Revelation 21:4 (NLT) - He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”