Walking Forward In Faith

Today I had coffee with God and I am looking forward to all that He has to teach me. The result of today is a deeper understanding, a deeper desire, to read and to understand scripture. On Pinterest, I found this reading plan from the Bible app as well as the SOAP method of Bible study (I pinned both to my Journey of Faith board), which I intend to apply. Flipping through the reading plans available, I was drawn to the plan When God Says No and decided I would incorporate this plan into my next few days (it's a 3-day study). 

Walking Forward in Faith

Scripture: "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." 

-Romans 5:3-5

Observation: Suffering is necessary. It is through suffering that we are taught to persevere and perseverance leads to the development of our character, which allows us to hope. God has given us the Holy Spirit that His love would be poured out on us and our hope would not be put to shame.

Application: Right now God is telling me "No" or at least "Not yet" (from experience they feel the same and only time shows the difference). His answer has put me on a known, but dreaded path. I am familiar with this journey, but I resent the suffering that comes with it. I think God wants me to know that suffering is necessary to achieve the hope He wants in my life and that hope won't be put to shame.

Prayer: Dear God, I am thankful that my hope won't be put to shame. I am afraid. I don't want you to say "no" to restoration, but I can't escape the feeling that You are. I find myself back on this well-trodden path of heartache and I frantically look for an exit, but there is no escape. I am lost and I don't want to stay on this path. Please direct me that I would know my next step. Strengthen me that I would persevere and that my character would grow. That hope wouldn't be lost. In Your loving name, Amen