Down Under

Published: May 22, 2021, midnight

b'When everything else is in chaos, God remains the same. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the One we can cling to when we feel afraid, or when things aren\\u2019t working out like we hoped.\\nWhen we lose someone close to us, we can go to God for comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). When we\\u2019re not sure how to make choices about the future, we can turn to Him (Psalm 32:8).\\nWe can know God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We can depend on His character, His steadfast love, and His faithfulness (Psalm 100:5; Romans 3:3-4).\\nGod is always ready to strengthen us and uplift us when we call to Him (Isaiah 40:28-31; 41:10). He will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 37:23-24; 55:22). If we\\u2019ve put our trust in Jesus, no one can take us out of His hand (John 10:27-30; Romans 10:9-13).\\nBut sometimes when life gets messy, it can be hard to go to God for comfort. In these times, it\\u2019s even more important that we draw close to God. If you\\u2019re not sure how to draw close to God, it doesn\\u2019t need to be complicated. Just turning your heart toward Him in faith and acknowledging Him (even if you don\\u2019t say anything) is drawing close to God. There are also ways we can help our faith grow, including reading the Bible. We can sing worship songs and hymns to God and be reminded of His goodness. And we can always talk to God in prayer and tell Him our hurts, even if it\\u2019s been a long time. We can seek Him even in the everyday moments, because He cares about every part of our lives.\\nNo matter what changes in our lives, and no matter how chaotic, sad, or scary life feels, God is never going to change. He is always going to be good. He is always going to love us. He is always going to remain in control. \\u2022 Bethany Acker\\n\\u2022 When you feel like things are getting out of control, what is your first instinct? How might you shift your focus to God in moments like these? \\n\\u2022 What are some of your favorite Bible passages that remind you of God\\u2019s goodness?\\n\\u2022 How could you share this hope with others who are feeling overwhelmed? \\nJesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (WEB)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nIsaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-21; Romans 8:31-39'