“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV).
One thing is for certain, every individual [believers and unbelievers] will experience “Life-Changing Adversities” that human effort cannot resolve. Still Jesus promises, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
Because God loves us and desires that we trust Him as our Heavenly Father, everyone has received a measure of faith empowering (Romans 12:3) us to believe in and trust God.
God, Jesus Christ created us with free will of choice, and too often, we allow ourselves to be influenced by our secular environment that is permeated with unrighteous morals and values, which easily happens from the failure to study the Holy Bible.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2).
Satan has presented compromise as an acceptable way to serve God, and many Christians are practicing the sins of self-reliance and self-governance, which separates them from God; they are unbelieving believers, who live outside of the will of God.
Not only do these unrighteous character traits destroy one’s desire to depend on God, through disobedience Satan easily influences the mind, redirecting our faith and focus from God to human wisdom, theories, and fulfilling our desires to chase the pride of life’s temporary treasures and pleasures.
“O Lord, I know that the path of [life of] a man is not in himself; It is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps [in life].” (Jeremiah 10:23, Amplified Bible).
Reflection: Where do we stand in our faith journey with Christ? Do we follow Jesus Christ, our Shepherd with faithful obedience? If yes, then our response to changing circumstances is an immediate prayer asking for God’s Help.
“Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help for every need” [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. (Hebrews 4:16, Amplified Bible).
Challenges, trials, and adversity always reveal the true status of our faith and focus. If our faith is in Jesus then our dependency on Him is revealed by faith-based prayers; if our faith is in our abilities then our first response is, What am I going to do?
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6).
Unbelievers use their faith to trust in limited human insight, often seeking advice from those who they consider capable of giving expert advice. And many believers are also in a spiritual dilemma because they have redirected their faith from God to themselves.
God’s Response: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.'” (Jeremiah 17:5, NLT). Following the advice of others [instead of God’s Truth] is disobedience, which leads us into spiritual darkness.
Faithful obedience to God is a requisite for the righteous believer. God gives His sons and daughters the command to completely trusting in Him by seeking His Higher Thoughts, Ways, and Plans.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:5-7).
Jesus’ Warning and Comforting Promise To Be With Us In Our Trials and Tribulations
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] (John 16:33, Amplified Bible).
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, ESV).
Even if we are faithful, obedient, and living a life of total surrender to God, Jesus tells us that we will experience adversity, distress, and suffering. The strength or weakness of our faith, trust, and obedience to God determines our response to life’s unpredictable storms.
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24).
The Faithful Prayer Warrior: True worshipers enter God’s Presence through daily personal worship, dedicating themselves to follow and obey Jesus Christ. Worship is their lifestyle.
Those who worship God in spirit and Truth, as soon as they awaken, realizing that God has blessed them with the mercies of a new day thank Him with a prayer of gratitude and our commitment to follow His Perfect Plans (Jeremiah 29:11).
God Always Blesses Those Who Honor Him
God is Love. We have a Heavenly Father, who tells us to come to Him: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6, ESV).
Prayer warriors have steadfast faith because they are anchored in The Rock, Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ requires much prayer and diligent study of the Holy Scriptures. True worship is a lifestyle of a 24/7 commitment to God.
“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.” (Lamentations 3:25). When we love God, we honor God through daily worship, inviting the Holy Spirit to empower us with the wisdom to perceive our Journey with Jesus through spiritual eyes.
Through the Holy Spirit, we receive the blessings of Jesus’ Divine Strength to persevere through our hardships with courage and confidence; and if we possess a childlike faith, trust in His Promises to always help us, Jesus covers us with His Perfect Peace.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27, ESV).
Confession, Repentance, and Restoration
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.” (Hebrews 4:13).
Self-reliance is a grievous sin against God’s Sovereign Authority; Self-reliance feeds off of disobedience, changing our heart and mind to rebel against God; and our choices and lifestyles reveal that we despise surrender and faithful obedience to God’s Will and Plans.
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV).
There is no pretense with God, who knows the true selfish condition of the human heart [Jeremiah 17:9]. Never asking for and obeying God’s Will places us in the same spiritual status as unbelievers: Spiritually Separated from God.
“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.” (John 9:31).
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Living outside of the will of God is disobedience, making our first priority a prayer of confession and repentance for our sins of rebellion against God.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
God is Love, and He is Faithful. The gift of Jesus Christ, His only Son reveals God’s love and desire for us to “Be holy, for I am Holy,” which requires a life of self-denial, daily surrender and faithful obedience [Romans 12:2].
God’s Majesty and Sovereignty Over Creation
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.” (1 Chronicles 29:11)
“Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is Mine.” (Job 41:11). Daily personal worship reinforces that God is God, He is Holy and Sovereign, and we are not. The creation can never be greater than the Creator.
Living a Christ-Centered Faith-based Life
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6).
Surrender is demonstrated by letting go of our desires and seeking God’s Will through consistent prayers of faith, which honor and revere God. Our Heavenly Father is interested in the smallest details of our lives, we should never make a decision without praying and waiting for His direction.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near…” (Isaiah 55:6); And the Holy Spirit will reveal God’s Plan through our thoughts and the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit always gives us specific instructions, clarity, and the wisdom to carry out God’s Perfect Plans.
Sanctification is a lifelong spiritual process of Spiritual growth and transformation of our mind, character, and personality into the righteousness of Christ’s Character. Study John 8:29, Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 4:32.
From our willingness to follow Christ with faithful obedience, we invite the Holy Spirit to change us from within: “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” (Ezekiel 36:26, NLT).
The Purpose of Suffering: Although we surrender daily, striving to worship God with faithful obedience, our faith must continually grow. We will never reach the point in our spiritual journey where our faith is strong enough.
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
God’s Divine Providence determined that we must experience hardships to build our faith, trust, dependency on God, and to sanctify our mind and character. “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (1 Peter 4:16).
Suffering gives us the opportunity to honor Christ, who suffered immensely to rescue us from the wages of sin. Our Loving Savior promises to give us the strength to persevere, and His Divine Peace, which removes all worry and fear.
Hope While Suffering Trials: “The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him! The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.'” (Lamentations 3:24).
Lord God, we come to You, confessing and repenting for our sins of self-reliance and disobedience. In faith, we ask for restoration and Your Divine Help to overcome the internal desires of our hearts and Satan’s temptations. We surrender our will and desires to your Sovereign Authority, asking for strength, wisdom, and guidance in our daily lives. Lord, speak to us, give us clarity, and anoint us with the Oil of gladness, the Holy Spirit. We commit to a life of worshiping you with daily surrender and faithful obedience. In faith, we ask this prayer in the Loving and Righteous Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
© 2026 STEPS 2 Success With Spiritual Solutions Ministry
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