Never Once

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

These last three weeks have been somewhat challenging for me. After 6 wonderful and uplifting days away at a Christian gathering of like-minded people from around the world, my husband and I came home only to come down with Covid. Needless to say, our plans were rearranged, and in some cases, had to be cancelled or put on hold. My husband soon recovered but I was a bit slower. After testing positive for the virus for 11 days, I began to become discouraged. The sickness itself isn’t pleasant, but the isolation may have been worse in my case. Joy did come in the morning as on Day 12, I tested negative. My symptoms were nearly gone, as well. What a feeling of freedom I had!

After my recovery, the first thing I did was go for a nice breakfast with my husband at IHOP. Having always loved their buttermilk pancakes, I just knew that getting out and enjoying these simple pleasures would set me on the road to more strength and stamina.

We had also planned to head to our lake place in East Texas for a week of rest, relaxation, and time with family members. Our 10-year-old granddaughter, Sophie was so excited to be able to go with us and spend time in a place she has come to love dearly. It had been over four weeks since we’d been able to see Sophie, the longest time spent away from her in all of her life. The morning before we were to depart, Sophie got sick with Covid. It just broke my heart. She had avoided the virus for over two years. And now, what timing! It was time to adjust our plans. AGAIN!

Satan is good at using sickness and upended plans to discourage us. I know that first hand and have experienced it more times than I can count. However, I have always tried to look at life from a spiritual lens even though I don’t have all the answers to the “why’s” in life. I simply trust that God always has a plan much bigger than my own. In the trusting, God has shown me that never once, have I ever been without His love, mercy, and peace. He is definitely faithful and true to His Word. I have never been alone, nor will I ever be. That’s a great place to be! And as long as I stay in that place, I will always find the peace and encouragement that I long for.

Friend, I don’t know what you might be going through at this moment, but God does. He knows your pain, weakness, and the desires of your heart. He sees your discouragement and your fears. Today, why not ask Him to come into your circumstances and bring you the peace He wants to give. Through faith in Jesus, you can live a victorious life, and never once will you ever be away from His care.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your faithfulness and for always walking beside us through our victories and our struggles. Thank You for loving us enough to be our constant source of strength and hope. Thank You for giving us the assurance that we will never walk alone as long as our focus is on You. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.