A Year's Journey From A Pastor's Perspective

By Vernon R Groce

A few years ago, I felt led by the Lord to write this book of devotions. At the time, my motivation was for the most part my family, as I knew that we are living in perilous times, and as we draw nearer to the coming of the Lord, the times would not get better, but worse. But then I began to understand that the body of Christ (the church), and the individuals that make up the church are and will face issues that may be unique to this time in history. But God's word is all inclusive and is relevant to all times and all situations. As David said in Psalm 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

In this book of devotions, with God's help, I wanted to speak about and deal with the issues that we face in life from a scriptural standpoint, knowing that in God's word, there is a direction, strength, encouragement, and comfort. And it is my prayer that the reader find peace and hope in the Lord and be motivated to draw high to him, knowing that our hope is not in this world but in Jesus Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798889433620

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A Yearand#39;s Journey From A Pastorand#39;s Perspective

Vernon R Groce

Copyright © 2023 by Vernon R Groce

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34

Day 35

Day 36

Day 37

Day 38

Day 39

Day 40

Day 41

Day 42

Day 43

Day 44

Day 45

Day 46

Day 47

Day 48

Day 49

Day 50

Day 51

Day 52

Day 53

Day 54

Day 55

Day 56

Day 57

Day 58

Day 59

Day 60

Day 61

Day 62

Day 63

Day 64

Day 65

Day 66

Day 67

Day 68

Day 69

Day 70

Day 71

Day 72

Day 73

Day 74

Day 75

Day 76

Day 77

Day 78

Day 79

Day 80

Day 81

Day 82

Day 83

Day 84

Day 85

Day 86

Day 87

Day 88

Day 89

Day 90

Day 91

Day 92

Day 93

Day 94

Day 95

Day 96

Day 97

Day 98

Day 99

Day 100

Day 101

Day 102

Day 103

Day 104

Day 105

Day 106

Day 107

Day 108

Day 109

Day 110

Day 111

Day 112

Day 113

Day 114

Day 115

Day 116

Day 117

Day 118

Day 119

Day 120

Day 121

Day 122

Day 123

Day 124

Day 125

Day 126

Day 127

Day 128

Day 129

Day 130

Day 131

Day 132

Day 133

Day 134

Day 135

Day 136

Day 137

Day 138

Day 139

Day 140

Day 141

Day 142

Day 143

Day 144

Day 145

Day 146

Day 147

Day 148

Day 149

Day 150

Day 151

Day 152

Day 153

Day 154

Day 155

Day 156

Day 157

Day 158

Day 159

Day 160

Day 161

Day 162

Day 163

Day 164

Day 165

Day 166

Day 167

Day 168

Day 169

Day 170

Day 171

Day 172

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Day 174

Day 175

Day 176

Day 177

Day 178

Day 179

Day 180

Day 181

Day 182

Day 183

Day 184

Day 185

Day 186

Day 187

Day 188

Day 189

Day 190

Day 191

Day 192

Day 193

Day 194

Day 195

Day 196

Day 197

Day 198

Day 199

Day 200

Day 201

Day 202

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Day 206

Day 207

Day 208

Day 209

Day 210

Day 211

Day 212

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Day 214

Day 215

Day 216

Day 217

Day 218

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Day 221

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Day 226

Day 227

Day 228

Day 229

Day 230

Day 231

Day 232

Day 233

Day 234

Day 235

Day 236

Day 237

Day 238

Day 239

Day 240

Day 241

Day 242

Day 243

Day 244

Day 245

Day 246

Day 247

Day 248

Day 249

Day 250

Day 251

Day 252

Day 253

Day 254

Day 255

Day 256

Day 257

Day 258

Day 259

Day 260

Day 261

Day 262

Day 263

Day 264

Day 265

Day 266

Day 267

Day 268

Day 269

Day 270

Day 271

Day 272

Day 273

Day 274

Day 275

Day 276

Day 277

Day 278

Day 279

Day 280

Day 281

Day 282

Day 283

Day 284

Day 285

Day 286

Day 287

Day 288

Day 289

Day 290

Day 291

Day 292

Day 293

Day 294

Day 295

Day 296

Day 297

Day 298

Day 299

Day 300

Day 301

Day 302

Day 303

Day 304

Day 305

Day 306

Day 307

Day 308

Day 309

Day 310

Day 311

Day 312

Day 313

Day 314

Day 315

Day 316

Day 317

Day 318

Day 319

Day 320

Day 321

Day 322

Day 323

Day 324

Day 325

Day 326

Day 327

Day 328

Day 329

Day 330

Day 331

Day 332

Day 333

Day 334

Day 335

Day 336

Day 337

Day 338

Day 339

Day 340

Day 341

Day 342

Day 343

Day 344

Day 345

Day 346

Day 347

Day 348

Day 349

Day 350

Day 351

Day 352

Day 353

Day 354

Day 355

Day 356

Day 357

Day 358

Day 359

Day 360

Day 361

Day 362

Day 363

Day 364

Day 365

Without a doubt, I want to dedicate this little book to the ones who motivated me to begin this work—my children, Michael and his wife, Melanie Groce; and my grandchildren, Kaleb and Kielan, who are growing up in uncertain times. My prayer and heart’s desire is that the words contained here may help you in the days ahead. There is direction, counsel, encouragement, and strength in the Word of God.

Read the Word; take it in; let it become part of your life. Live by it, and stand on it, for when all else fails you, God is faithful. He will never leave you nor forsake you. And along with my desire for you to know the Word of God, I pray that God will place people in your life, godly people, to influence your life as He has mine.

I love you, and God loves you.

Acknowledgments

The words that are written in these daily devotionals were influenced by many people that God placed in my life, whether in person, or the authors whose works I have been blessed to read.

I want to gratefully acknowledge my son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Melanie Groce; my nephew, Vernon E. Groce; all of whom are faithfully serving God in pastoral positions. Michael and Melanie are pastoring in central Louisiana, and Vernon is serving in Atlanta, Texas.

I also have been blessed to study the writings of many remarkable men of God—men like Tim Hill, General Administrative Bishop of the Church of God; David Wilkerson; Chris Hill; E. M. Bounds; Andrew Murray; Bob Duncan; and others.

Looking back over my life since coming to Christ, I realize there have been many whom God has used to add direction to, and influence, my life. These include the pastor whom I sat under through all my growing up years at the Bell Church of God, Pastor Glenn C. Grove, and the dedicated ministry of the youth pastors there, Ray and Shirley Leger.

If you were blessed to know or read behind any of these mentioned, when you read these devotions, you will no doubt sense their influence in this writing. And to be honest, I would hope that you do, for all of these to me are spiritual giants. I thank God that they, knowingly or unknowingly, have poured into my life.

I also want to acknowledge my faithful wife of almost fifty years, Sandra (Sandy), who has stood beside me through thick and thin. In good times and in bad, she has been my rock.

I am thankful to God.

Introduction

Psalm 48:14 declares, For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. As our Shepherd, He guides us and shields us. As His sheep, we receive His complete care and understanding, His perfect love.

Our God knows every detail of our lives. He’s mindful of our weaknesses and our limitations. He sees our struggles and our sins. He also knows our strengths and our abilities. Therefore, He is qualified to shepherd us, and He will lead us and be with us through this troubled world.

We can trust Him. We can depend on him, for He will go before us, preparing the path through which we can safely follow. He removes many of the pitfalls in the road ahead and helps us handle the difficulties that remain. So when we pass through the darkest hours of our lives, we need not be afraid, for He is a present help in trouble. Talk to Him, for He will safely guide you through all the days of your life. David said it this way in Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Lord is with us throughout our lives. He goes with us, comforts us, and strengthens us, always by and through His Word. He is faithful at all times and in every season, in good times and in bad.

It is my prayer that through the pages of this book, you will be encouraged to follow Christ, to seek and allow His Word to enter and become part of your life. Jesus said, If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.

It is easier for us to believe that He is with us and that His Word is relevant in our lives when we are being blessed. And thank God for those seasons of blessings. But God is faithful in every season. David said in Psalm 139:8, If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold thou are there. The truth is, we as humans go through good times, times when we are rejoicing. But then seasons change, and we go through times that we don’t understand—painful times.

Even though seasons change, no matter the season or the circumstances, God is still God. And He will be our guide, even unto death. David expresses this in Psalm 31:15: My times are in thy hands. We are in His hands. And we walk by faith knowing, as the Scripture says, To everything, there is a season. Five times in the Book of Revelation we see the phrase, After these things. The point is God deals in time sequences, and my prayer for you is that in every season and at all times the God of all peace be with you forever and ever.

"For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death" (Ps. 48:14).

Day 1

Luke 2:1–7

The Christmas story is one of the most widely known stories in the Bible. And when the story is told, most often the focus is on making room for Jesus. That is as it should be. This need is what comes to our minds when we read how the innkeeper in Bethlehem tells Mary and Joseph that there is no room for them in the inn.

Many have opened their hearts and have let Him in, receiving His wonderful salvation. Let us also purpose in our hearts today to give place to Christ and to rid ourselves of any obstruction that would hinder the absolute sovereignty of Christ in our lives. Let us crucify the flesh with all its desires and lust, and determine within ourselves that today, we will walk with Him.

Second Corinthians 10:5 declared, Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and boring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Day 2

Matthew 9:18–26

Matthew speaks of a desperate man who desires that Jesus would come and touch his daughter who had died. Jesus follows the man into a room, where the body of his daughter lay. The room is filled with people preparing for a funeral.

This seems to be in order. After all, she was deceased. There were mourners. There was the appropriate music. Those present seemed satisfied with the progression of events. Everything seemed in order. That is, until Jesus walked in.

Often in our lives, we become satisfied or comfortable with what life brings. We have the attitude, Whatever will be will be, whether we are dealing with tragedy or just the routine of life. But when Jesus walks into the room, He says, Give place.

The translation is this: Make room, move over, get out of the way. Let us determine that in every facet of our lives, rather than accepting whatever comes with the attitude that that’s just the way it is, that we will invite Jesus to come in and allow Him to have His way. The outcome could be different and our lives enriched, because Christ does all things well.

Day 3

Matthew 9:24

This verse is taken from the previous text. Yet looking a little closer at this one verse, we see that Jesus shook things up. He didn’t just go with the flow or simply accept conditions as they were.

Through His life and ministry, He saw what could be and taught us to walk by faith.

To those in the room, it was over. The daughter was beyond help, but Jesus was telling them, and us, that things are not always as they seem. The situation is not about what we think it is, but about what He knows it is.

As we face situations in our lives, let us determine that we will walk by faith, asking wisdom from God to see if this is an obstacle or an opportunity. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, For we walk by faith, not by sight. So no matter the outcome, we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).

Day 4

Exodus 14:13–15

The story of Israel is a story of divine deliverance. And it’s so closely relates to the story of every person who has been redeemed by God’s grace. As Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage, so were we delivered from the bondage of sin.

But as they journeyed, the first obstacle they faced prompted them to give up and return to the cruelty they once knew. Moses tried to calm their fears with the words, Fear not, but stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. God responded, Why cry unto me? Go forward!

Why would God respond in such a manner? Because their choice was to either go forward and be free, or do nothing, surrender to the enemy, and return to bondage. They knew they were unable to fight this enemy on their own, and losing men would be more than they could bear. And God knows how much we can bear. He has promised that He will never allow more to be put upon us than we can stand. So they cried to God for deliverance.

But here’s the vital element. If they really wanted deliverance, they had to go forward—to keep on keeping on.

When we face obstacles—those circumstances that seem impossible and beyond understanding—let us continue with the determination that, even though we can’t see what lies ahead, we are assured that God knows. He is in control. There is no going back. We must go forward (Heb. 12:1–2).

Day 5

2 Timothy 3:1–4

Scripture declares that we are living in perilous times (2 Tim. 3:1). Often, right is considered wrong, and wrong is thought to be right. As a result, Paul notes in 1 Timothy 4:1, Some have departed from the faith. Because the sinful condition of men waxes increasingly worse, Paul exhorts Timothy in this manner: Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of (2 Tim. 3:14).

We must understand that this is no time to quit, or even to focus on the circumstances around us. But more than ever, we must follow the mandate of the Lord. His orders for His people have not changed, but remain even clearer. We are to go forward.

Mark 16:15: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel.

Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore and teach all nations.

Matthew 20:4: Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you.

Matthew 5:14: Go and let your light shine before men.

Peter and John had that go ye spirit when they said, We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20).

God help us to have the same burden and determination of our Lord when He said, I must be about my Father’s business.

Day 6

Luke 11:52

Earlier I spoke concerning Israel at the crossing of the Red Sea. Fear had gripped the hearts of the Israelites, and that fear, fueled by doubt, froze their advance. Fear, as opposed to faith, caused them to have a give up mentality. They were ready to throw up their hands, surrender, and willingly go back to the cruelty from which they had sought God for deliverance.

But consider what would have happened if those on the front lines had halted. First, they would have never experienced the miracle of the parting of the waters. Furthermore, their actions would have so affected those coming after them that they would never have known the miracle of God’s deliverance.

Many today quit just before the parting of the waters. As a result, they never experience the deliverance God has for their lives.

It is important for us and for those who come after us that we allow nothing to hinder us in our journey with God. Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, saying, Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Gal. 5:7).

But many have been encouraged by his words in 2 Timothy 4:7, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

Day 7

Acts 16:25

We go through the winter season of our lives and often grow weary, as it is a dark time for us. It’s because we can’t see our way and don’t understand why conditions are the way they are. We grope through the darkness.

During this time in our lives, many make foolish decisions and lose their faith. Jesus told of ten virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come at midnight. Suddenly, five of the virgins realized they were out of oil.

I think if there has ever been a midnight hour in the history of our nation, it has been in this recent COVID-19 pandemic. And it seems that men are looking everywhere but to God, just as Jesus said they would. Jesus declared in Matthew 24:12, Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Luke records the same discourse in chapter 21. But in verse 28 of that same chapter, He tells us that when we see these things come to pass, we must lift up our head, for our redemption draws nigh. So let us remember that even in the dark hours, God is faithful. He hasn’t forgotten His own.

Day 8

Acts 16:25

Again, let us look at the same text, for this was a dark time in the lives of Paul and Silas. But we find that even in the darkest hours, there is no reason for fear in the life of the Christian, because we realize that midnight is, in reality, that one second in the middle of the night when one day gives way to another. That bridge of time is what connects today with tomorrow.

Paul and Silas were not only in the natural midnight hour, they were in a spiritual midnight hour. But here is how they made it through. They held tightly to their faith. They knew they were in prison; they knew they were in solitary confinement. But they also knew they were not alone. And their faith and their influence affected the lives of others.

When God broke the chains and opened the doors, none of the other prisoners fled. That was because Paul and Silas kept the faith and allowed God to use them during this dark hour.

Let us realize that even though we may be experiencing what seems to be the darkness of midnight, someone is watching our lives.

Day 9

Esther 4:14

Truly, we are living in what could be called the winter season. Recent events such as earthquakes in diverse places, wars, terrorism, the looming threat of war, tornados, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and, more recently, the corona pandemic—all let us know that this is indeed the winter season. But we, as the people of God, have the assurance that He has everything under control.

For years, the body of Christ has sat within the walls of the church. We’ve listened, we’ve worshipped, and we’ve been blessed. But for the most part, our activity has been contained within the walls of the sanctuary. Today, because of the aforementioned pandemic, many churches have closed.

Whether we realize it or not, for years, God’s church has been in training. Now it’s time for the church to be deployed.

Looking back through history, we see that God has always raised up men for the hour. He has used men like R. A. Torrey, Charles Finney, George Whitfield, Billy Sunday, and others. But let it be our prayer today for this season, Lord use me!

Day 10

Mark 8:1–9

The multitude followed Jesus into the wilderness. They held to every word that fell from His lips. At other times, the crowds followed Him to see the miracles that He performed. But on this occasion, the crowd seemed to follow Him for the right reasons, as there had been no recorded miracles during this time. It seems that they wanted nothing more than to hear His Word. But now the crowd was hungry.

We find here that the Lord is not only concerned with the spiritual needs of those who followed Him, but He is concerned with the physical needs as well. But when He expressed His concerns, it seemed the disciples were at a loss. Even though it had only been a short time since He had fed five thousand among the Jews.

How quick they were to forget, just like Israel on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. The response of the disciples to the situation at hand was, "From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness (v. 4)? This is just another way of saying, It can’t be done! Then Jesus jogs their memory by asking them the same question that He had asked before: How many lives have ye" (v. 5)?

It’s truly wonderful that when man says there’s nothing anyone can do, we know that we serve a God who can. God help us to remember.

Day 11

Mark 8:1–9

In the miracles of Jesus feeding the four thousand and the five thousand, there are several similarities. First, the need was the same. The people were hungry. Second, the food was the same. He used bread and fish. Third, when they gave what they had, Jesus multiplied it.

When he fed the five thousand, He was ministering to the Jews. And when he fed the four thousand, he was ministering to the Gentiles. Christ, in His love, wanted to do for the Gentiles what He had done for the Jews. God is no respecter of persons. Verse 2 of our text tells us why. And that is, He had compassion. He cares about what’s going in the lives of His children.

For three days, there had been no miracles. But He knew that sometimes miracles could become a distraction, because often people focused so much on miracles that they began to seek the miracles more than the miracle worker.

This story also teaches us that the Lord desires to use us. He is faithful to do His part, but He wants us to do ours. He asked, How many loaves do you have?

We are dependent on Him. We can bring the bread, but only He can multiply it. We can fill the water pots, but only He can turn it into wine. We can roll away the stone, but only He can give life.

In the two stories, Jesus also teaches us that He is sufficient. Twelve baskets of fragments remained. The number 12 is used to symbolize Israel, the Twelve Tribes.

When he fed the four thousand, there were seven baskets remaining. Seven is the number of completeness.

We are complete in Him; He is all we need. He is enough.

Day 12

1 Peter 4:12–13

For over two years now, we have lived in and through this disaster they call the pandemic. It hasn’t been easy as we have watched businesses close. People frequently are unemployed, unable to pay their bills, unable to provide for their families, and facing circumstances they didn’t expect and didn’t cause. Facing times like these, we come to understand that this world, the devil, and our own flesh cause us grief, as we face circumstances that we’re not responsible for. And we find it impossible to simply sail through life with a smile on our faces, as though there’s not a problem in the world.

The apostle Paul knew what it was like to live under harsh circumstances. We remember that he was beaten with rods on three occasions, stoned and left for dead, shipwrecked, spent a night and a day in the sea, lived in peril in the city and in the country, and was often cold and hungry (1 Cor. 11:24–27). Consider that he didn’t create these circumstances. But make no mistake; His life was hard.

Yet this man of faith declared, I have learned that in whatever state I’m in therewith to be content. He had faith that was unshaken by the storms of life. How? I think the answer could be summed up in the words of 2 Timothy 1:12, For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Day 13

Psalm 61:2

It has been said that there are two different kinds of people, those who are experiencing grief and those who are about to. The truth is, life brings us grief. Some, we may never get over in this life. But that in itself is not a failure, as long as we can see that we will get through it.

Sometimes through the loss of a loved one, the pain is made fresh on those special days when we remember that they are not here. And while we can’t embrace those who are absent, we can embrace the ones who are here.

There are times when dealing with the grief of past failures that often came at a high price, we learned that we can’t recover time that we lost. But we can embrace the time we have now. We can declare the truth that although we did not get over it, but by God’s grace, we will get through it.

David was the author of this text, and he wasn’t writing this because of what he was facing at the time or what had happened previously in his life. But he knew that as a child of God, he would continue to face opposition. So he’s declaring in advance that when his heart is overwhelmed, he trusts that God will lead him to the rock that is higher than he. Through it all, his trust was in the Lord. He expresses his confidence in Psalm 121.

Day 14

Psalm 61:3

During the winter season of our lives, we hurt as we are exposed to the elements that come against us—the loss of a loved one, friends, finances, or maybe as a result of the confusion that life brings. But whether it’s the memory of the past, the circumstance of the present, or the uncertainty of the future, the child of God has this testimony: I have a rock that is higher than I. I have a high tower and his name is Jesus and I will run to Him.

This is what David declared in Psalm 61:3: For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

I know where I can go when I’m overwhelmed, because I’ve been there before. Sometimes it’s good to remember the past. When the enemy is against me, when he says that my back is against the wall, when I have no more resources on my own, I find the rock that I could stand on. I discover a shelter that I can run to. And that shelter is Jesus Christ, for He is a very present help in trouble.

No matter what we face, our trust is in the Lord.

Day 15

Proverbs 18:10

In Luke 13:4, the Bible speaks of the tower that once stood in Jerusalem by the pool of Siloam. We don’t know much about it, except that it fell in, and eighteen men lost their lives as a result.

The tower had served as a watchtower, a place where guards were placed to watch for invading armies. The people in Jerusalem felt safe because of the tower. This tower gave them a sense of security.

And this tower didn’t fall because of battle; many believe that it fell because of poor construction and faulty material.

This world offers a tower made of many different substances, but material things can’t be our tower. Fame can’t be our tower. Family and friends cannot be our tower, and not even the church.

But the name of the Lord is a strong tower that we can run to and find safety.

This tower will not fall; it will not crumble. The storms of life can’t knock it down. It will stand the test of time. How blessed we are to say that this tower, our tower, is Jesus! We will run to Him, for in Him, we are safe.

Day 16

Job 13:15

The winter season of our lives can be a time of sadness, sorrow, and grief. Grief is a process, and getting through it is a process. We see it playing out in the life of Job. He went through the following six steps that led to the recovery from grief:

In Job 1:13–21, he hears the tragic news of the death of his children. And in shock, he rends his mantle.

In chapter 2, he sits for seven days in denial without speaking.

In chapter 6, he experiences the beginning stage of grief. In verses 2 and 3, he says, Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

In Job 3:1, he deals with anger and cursed his birth.

In chapter 16, Job’s in the mourning stage, often accompanied by weeping and loss of appetite and sleep. Job tells us no matter what he does, he cannot find relief, and whether he speaks or remains silent, he is not eased.

In Job 42, he reaches the acceptance stage, choosing truth over circumstances. Understand that Job didn’t like what had happened, but it still happened. He was a man of integrity, but he was also a man of pain. It is possible to keep our integrity, even while we hurt. The danger is in getting stuck in grief, but Christ is our staff to lean on. He is our shelter from the storm, and by the grace of God, there is victory after grief.

Day 17

Job 19:26

As I stated previously, Job went through the six stages of the grieving process. Most schools of thought agree that the cycle ends with acceptance. But with Job, there is one more, as it can be with God’s people today. And that is acceptance with joy.

Hannah Hurnard, author of Hinds’ Feet on High Places, illuminates this idea of acceptance with joy. She states that it is where we, through Christ, see the greater purpose in our loss. This does not mean that we are to be joyous in our loss, but rather that we have found a purpose in that loss.

We find this in Job during his time of pain and grief. Three friends (who weren’t much of friends) came to Job with criticism and condemnation, rather than with words of help and hope.

And because of this, God was angry with them and declared, I will not forgive you until Job prays for you.

Through his hurt, he was able to bring them into a right standing with God. Job was able to be a blessing to others.

Who knows if our destiny is not in some way linked to the lessons that we’ve learned in our pain.

God can use us to reach out to others and comfort them with the comfort that we were comforted with.

Day 18

Isaiah.53:1–12

This is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible to the Christian. And it’s beautiful to us because we know the prophet is talking about Jesus.

And this One, who was despised and rejected, was a man of sorrows and one acquainted with grief. As Isaiah describes the life of Christ, he uses the word grief on three occasions. In verse 3, he notes that Jesus is acquainted with grief. In verse 4, he observes that He bore our grief. Finally, in verse 10, he states that it pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief.

The word acquainted in the Hebrew has several meanings. It could mean to have a brief or limited knowledge of something, or to know personally in great depth.

I think that word was used because grief is never the same. It could range anywhere from facing a terrible crisis in our lives to that of an uncomfortable situation that we have to deal with.

But we can always know that no matter the size of our situation, He is acquainted with it. He knows and is aware of every detail of our lives.

He knows our yesterday, He knows our today, and He already knows our tomorrow. He knows how to bring us through. That’s why David could say with confidence, My times are in thy hands (Ps. 31:15).

Day 19

Isaiah 53:1–12

This entire chapter gives us a close look at the pain and grief that Christ endured. Verse 5 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

We see one word recurring in this passage. That word is our. The grief shouldn’t have been His to bear; He didn’t deserve it. We did. It was for our sins He died, and because of the price that He paid, we can still go free. But not only did He destroy the penalty of sin for all who call on His name, He won every battle, every trial, that we will ever face.

This means before we ever encountered the loss or the hurt, before we had to carry in our hearts the grief that’s been so heavy, that Christ has already carried it.

Again, grief is a process. It is a cycle—a cycle that we must go through all the way. That is, from shocked to denial, from bargaining to anger, from morning to acceptance, and, for the Christian, from acceptance to joy.

When Simon carried the cross of Christ (Luke 23:26), he didn’t carry it to his home or to his friends. Rather, he carried it to Calvary.

It is at Calvary that grief turns to victory.

Day 20

Isaiah 53:1–12

Verse 10 almost seems out of place. It’s hard for us to understand how it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. He had put him to grief. How could the Father find pleasure in the grief that Christ bore on the cross? The answer is simple. God saw the good in what appeared to be so bad.

God saw no pleasure in His Son’s sufferings. Someone said that God sometimes allows what He hates in order to accomplish what He loves.

What did God see? He saw the bondage of sin being broken. He saw the redemption of fallen man. He saw communion restored between God and man. He saw us kneeling at the foot of the cross, being washed in the blood. He saw us making another step in the cycle of grief as His Son carried our grief.

When the Bible speaks of Simon, who carried the cross of Christ, it also speaks of his two sons, Alexander and Rufus. And later, the Holy Spirit guides the apostle in the writing of Mark and includes these two sons, because God did not want us to forget those boys who watched their daddy carry the cross of Christ.

We later read in the Book of Romans of a man named Rufus, who was influential in the life of Paul. Tradition tells us that not only was Rufus a man of God, but so also was his brother, Alexander. It would seem that these two boys, who saw their father carry the cross of Christ, decided that if their dad could do it, so could they.

What do others see us carry? Is it hurt, anger, unforgiveness, and bitterness they see, or do they see us carrying the gospel?

Day 21

Isaiah 40:28–31

We know that God will bless and do miraculous works for those who walk with Him and wait on Him. God said to Moses, when Moses faced the Red Sea, Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. God commanded Moses, as He does with all His people, to do two things: first, stand still; second, see.

In this chapter of Isaiah’s writings, the Lord reminds his people of the great works that He has done, along with the works that He was doing then.

In verse 28, he says, "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?"

One of the names of God in Scripture is Everlasting God. In the Hebrew, the pronunciation is Elohim. There has never been a time when God was not, and there will never be a time when He is not. He is all knowing and, therefore, knows where we are. And he is a mighty God. He never grows weary and never becomes faint. But even as God is in control and aware of our situations, we, at times, become weary, especially during the waiting period.

Consequently, we must remember that as much as the enemy knows where we are and where we’re vulnerable, so does God.

The enemy wants to destroy us, but God wants to build us. Verse 29 says that God gives power to the faint and to them who have no might. He increases strength.

Wait on the Lord, for His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Day 22

Isaiah 40:28–31

As beautiful as this chapter is, I think that verse 31 is the icing on the cake. The prophet has talked about those who became weak. If he had stopped with verse 30, he would have left us disheartened, because he says, Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

Thankfully, he didn’t stop there. He continues by saying, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

That word renew means to exchange. The implication is that though there was a time when we were young and strong (new), circumstances caused us to become weary and faint. But God, by His grace, allows us to take off the spirit of heaviness and exchange it for a robe of righteousness and a garment of praise.

That’s what God does. He doesn’t just take off our old coats (the spirit of heaviness) or the grave clothes of sin, but He also gives us new ones, as the father did for his prodigal son (Luke 15:22).

It is because of this garment—what God has done and is doing in our lives—that gives us the ability to rise up with wings as eagles. For when the clouds have gathered and the storms roll in, the eagle is able to rise up and look down on the storms of life in perfect peace. Wait on the Lord.

Day 23

Isaiah 40:28–31

Our walk with God is the single most important exercise in our lives. Our families are next. But it’s also important to surround ourselves and keep company with people of like faith.

Thank God for the church, for the Word of God tells us plainly that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. And one reason is because Satan goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Jesus said that the thief comes not, but for to steal, kill, and destroy.

When we began our walk with God, we enter into spiritual warfare. That’s why Peter tells us, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you (1 Pet. 4:12).

Satan will attack our faith in every way possible. His attacks may come through physical sickness or pain. It may be through a devastating loss, financial hardship, or discouraging setbacks.

But we have the promise that if we will be faithful to God, wait upon Him, pray for one another, and bear one another’s burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ.

There is an important word in our text that we often overlook. In the quote, They that wait upon the Lord, the word they certainly has a personal application. But it also speaks of the collective body of Christ. It is a peaceful thing when the body of Christ stands together in unity.