Thrive in the Middle

            All of us will experience misfortune in our lives but how we deal with it determines our joy and our peace.

            God doesn’t call us to escape our pain and run and hide from it but rather to tackle it head on with firm determination and strength in the Lord. He wants us to be resilient in the middle of our trials for we have hope in Christ.

            God certainly has glorious plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

            However, this verse is often taken out of context and used as sort of a security blanket.

Jeremiah is talking to people who weren’t going to get where they wanted to go in their lifetime. But God wanted them to learn to thrive in the midst of their suffering.  

            When we learn to persevere in tough times, we’ll learn that secret of thriving in exile. God is our leader, His plans for us are good and full of hope and He is with us on this mission. He’s with us in suffering, too. He hasn’t forgotten us. In those difficult seasons of our lives, He may be preparing us for a new beginning with Him at the center.

            Three things to remember when we are in the middle of trials.

1. God is with us.
2. We have the power and privilege of prayer.
3. We have God’s grace.

            We discuss this topic and more in our latest episode featuring Kansas City Royals pitcher Ian Kennedy.