I Will Be With You

This article is by Joel Osteen

 

When you face adversity, have you noticed that your typical prayer is, “God, get me out of this”? It might be trouble at work, a financial setback, or a sickness. There’s nothing wrong with that prayer, but before you get out, you have to invite God in. Sometimes the miracle is not in getting out; it’s in what God is going to do in the situation. Why don’t you start praying, “God, come into this hospital room, come into this trouble at work, come into this anxiety”? What is more powerful than God bringing you out is when He comes in and begins to change things. He comes in and gives you favor despite who’s trying to push you down. He comes in and gives you strength you can’t explain. He comes in and gives you the grace to outlast what should stop you.

 

If you’re only focused on God bringing you out, you’re going to be frustrated while you wait. When you ask God to come in, you can be at rest. “God, I know You’re right here with me. You’re ordering my steps, and at the right time, You’ll get me to where I’m supposed to be.” You don’t have to fight everything, live frustrated, and not sleep at night. When you ask Him to come in, you’re saying, “God, don’t just change the situation, change me. Help me to grow through it, to develop greater confidence, to increase my faith, to let my character come up higher.” If God delivered you out of everything instantly, you would never reach your potential.

 

God says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned” (Isaiah 43:2). It’s interesting that He doesn’t say He’ll keep you out of deep waters and away from fires. He says that although challenges and adversities are going to come, He will be with you in them. Are you trying to get out of waters that God is going to take you through? Are you fighting the fire, wondering why it happened? Everything will change if you start inviting God in. He promised He’ll be with you; maybe He’s just waiting for your invitation.

 

The right attitude is, “God, I believe You’re going to bring me out, but until then I’m asking You to come into this struggle.” When you invite Him in, you’ll feel Him breathing in your direction, enabling you, empowering you, favoring you. You’ll gain a greater testimony that God came with you into the fire and brought you through it than if He kept you out of it.