As this year comes to a close, I am reminiscing about all the things we have gone through as a church this past year. Pastor Zach and his family moved to Texas, and we gained two wonderful interim pastors to help us during this transitioning period. We started new ministries at the church and are gaining new members. We have seen God work in and through our congregants as they give of their time, money, and share the love of Jesus to our community. We have so many things to be thankful for!
Yet I also think of the struggles we have gone through as well. Some of our members have experienced sickness and are still recovering. We continue to fight mental illness and the loss of loved ones. There are many unknowns that we go through in this world that can cause anxiety, fear, and doubt. So, I wanted to share a few lyrics to one of my favorite songs with you:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
God never promises to take away all troubles in this life as soon as we decide to pick our cross and follow Him, but He DOES promise He will always be with us, every step of the way. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “I am with you always, even until the end of the age.” 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” In John 14:27, Jesus also says, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So do not be troubled or afraid.” Let’s turn our eyes to Him and experience this gift of peace He gave us – that only He can give. Then may we not only experience this peace ourselves but share it with the people around us.