God’s Love

There are two ways that God’s children could conceivably fail in the Christian life. One is for us to turn away from God. And the other is for God to turn away from us. Jeremiah, amazingly, says that in the days to come — the days of the new covenant — neither of these will happen:

I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jeremiah 32:40)

“God doesn’t just require holiness; he promises it to his people.”

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God “will not turn away from doing good to [us].” And he will work in us “that [we] may not turn from [him].” That is how God’s providence brings his people to everlasting glory. In other words, God doesn’t just require holiness; he promises it to his people. Therefore, the holiness that God requires of his people on their path to glory is absolutely certain. It will not fail. This certainty is revealed in Scripture with clarity for all to see.
The aim of that clear revelation is the joyful, confident, wholehearted, vigilant pursuit of holiness (Hebrews 12:14) and glory (Romans 2:6–7), because God has made it so sure. As Paul says in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Paul labors to seize Christ as his prize, because Christ has seized him. This is the mystery of sanctification that so many people find incomprehensible — that the certainty of belonging to Christ would make us vigilant to lay hold on Christ! I am praying that you will find this not bewildering but beautiful. If it starts as an enigma of confusion, I pray it ends as energy for Christ.
Greatest Passage on Preservation
The clearest and fullest promise that God will give us all we need and infallibly bring us to glory is Romans 8:28–39. It is manifestly designed to give fearless confidence to God’s children in the face of tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword (Romans 8:35).
The context is the global suffering of all people and the groaning of creation under its subjection to futility and corruption (Romans 8:18–25). All the universe is groaning. Believers share the pain and perplexity. We often do not know how to pray. In this context of universal suffering and perplexity even in prayer, Paul says, in effect, “We may not know how to pray (Romans 8:26), but we do know something!” “We [do] know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). That is the beginning of the most exalted of all Scriptures concerning the absolute assurance believers can have in the face of Satan, sin, sickness, and sabotage.
God works everything — everything! — for the good of those who love God and are called by him. This promise contains the entire commitment of God to do everything necessary for the eternal good of his people. We see this in the argument that follows. Paul supports this massive promise with the assertion that, beginning in eternity past (foreknown) and extending to eternity future (glorified), God is committed, at every step of the way, to bringing his people to glory:

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. . . . And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:29–30)

The point of this golden chain is this: no link breaks. Nobody falls out. Every foreknown one becomes a predestined one. Every predestined one becomes a called one. Every called one becomes a justified one. Every justified one becomes a glorified one. Few things could be clearer or more glorious. Assurance! Confidence! Stability! Courage!
The mention of the “called” in this chain links back to verse 28, which is a promise to “those who are called.” That link helps us see that what Paul is describing in this chain is the “good” he had promised in verse 28. God works all things for our good. And the good is conformity to Christ (Romans 8:29) and unfailing glorification (Romans 8:30).
The Surest Sign That God Is for Us
After Paul gives the massive foundation for our assurance in Romans 8:28–30, he steps back and asks, “What then shall we say to these things?” (Romans 8:31). Here’s what we shall say: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” If the omnipotent, all-planning, all-accomplishing God is committed to our good and not to our harm, then no adversary can succeed in breaking the chain that brings us to glory.
But lest anyone doubt that God is for us, Paul invites us to consider once more what Romans has been about for eight chapters: God’s giving his Son to bear our condemnation (Romans 8:3) and become our righteousness (Romans 5:19). So, Paul says it again and reveals the indissoluble connection between the death of Christ and the promise of Romans 8:28:

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

“God works all things for our good. And the good is conformity to Christ and unfailing glorification.”

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The logic of the verse is clear and strong: not sparing his own Son is the hardest thing God has ever done. Since he did this hardest thing “for us all” — that is, for all who love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28) — we know that there is nothing he will not do to bring us to himself in glory. Nothing is harder than offering his Son. He did that. For us. It follows that he will not fail to “give us all things” — that is, all that we need in order to be conformed to his Son (Romans 8:29) and then glorified (Romans 8:30).
Everything Hangs on God’s Faithfulness
The rest of Romans 8:31–39 deepens and broadens the claim that nothing can “separate us from the love of Christ” (Romans 8:35) and “from the love of God in Christ” (Romans 8:39). The main point of Romans 8:28–39, for our purposes here, is that “those whom he called . . . he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). He sees to it that all of his converted people make it to glory. Our glorification is so sure that Paul speaks of it as accomplished, though it is yet future.
This is not a promise that bypasses God’s demand for Christlikeness in holiness and love. God’s promise to conform us to Christ is precisely what predestination guarantees. All the foreknown are “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). This happens through our calling, our justification, and finally our glorification (Romans 8:30). The implications for our lives are these: Be strong in faith. Be unshakable in the assurance that God is for you, and will bring you to glory. Be done with fear. Be full of joy. Be overflowing with courageous love for others.
We can think about what Paul has done in Romans 8:28–39 another way: he has established God’s faithfulness. From all that Paul has said, it is clear that there is nothing mechanical or natural or automatic about our conformity to Christ and our glorification. All of it is dependent on God’s action.
Many people have mechanical, or even biological, conceptions of eternal security. They think of once-saved-always-saved similar to the way an inoculation works. They think, “When I was saved, God inoculated me against condemnation. It’s built-in — the way disease-preventing antibodies are in the blood.” That way of thinking about the assurances given by Paul in Romans 8:28–39 is mistaken. Everything hangs on God, not on built-in spiritual antibodies. If God is not faithful to the promises made here, we will perish. Our perseverance in faith, our conformity to Christ, and our final glorification depend on whether God is faithful — day by day and forever.
I often ask people, How do you know you will wake up a Christian tomorrow morning? The bottom-line answer is that God will cause you to wake up a Christian, or you won’t. God will be faithful. God will keep you. Everything hangs on the faithfulness of God to his promise: “Those whom he called . . . he also glorified.”
All of God’s Majesty Serves Your Keeping
None of the requirements for making it to glory have been revoked. That is not how God gives assurance. The obedience required has not been repealed. It has been promised. “I will . . . cause you to . . . be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:27). The conformity to Christ that God commands has not been rescinded. It has been predestined. “Those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). The fear of failure is not remedied by abolishing obligations. It is remedied by God’s faithfulness. “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
These promises that God will create in us what he commands from us are so magnificent that they elicit from Jude one of the most exalted doxologies in the Bible:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)

If you woke up a Christian this morning, this is how you should feel. Glory, majesty, dominion, and authority have been at work for you while you slept. Your being kept for a joyful meeting with God has been promised. God is faithful. He will do it.
John Piper’s book Providence releases in March. You can now preorder the title from our friends at Westminster Books for just 19.99. We’re thankful for their partnership and encourage you to order through them as you consider supporting faithful, independent Christian booksellers. […]

After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them. And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?”
Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?” — Nehemiah 5:7-9
After Nehemiah spent valuable time backing off, he then moved to the next step in conflict resolution: there is a time to stand up. And that is exactly what he did. Nehemiah boldly stood up and confronted those he believed to be in the wrong and whose actions had initiated the conflict. “I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, ‘Each of you is exacting usury from his brother’” (Nehemiah 5:7). Nehemiah “rebuked” the elders and brought them face-to-face with the point of contention — they were charging interest to their own Jewish brothers who were in financial need, and in so doing brought “reproach” (Nehemiah 5:9) upon the people of God.
It is important to note that conflict resolution never means backing off and giving in at any cost. Nehemiah was a strong and effective leader. After backing off to listen to his heart, he stood up and rebuked those who were in the wrong.

Conflict resolution is never simply another form of pacifism.

One afternoon on a grassy green hillside on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus addressed this very point in His well-known and often quoted Sermon on the Mount. He pronounced a blessing on the “peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9, emphasis added), not the “peace lovers.”
Yes, we should love peace, but we should not seek it at the cost of sacrificing what we know to be right. There are times when nations and individuals have to “make peace” by standing up and not just backing off.
One example of a person who cared enough to confront is found in a man named Nathan. Most of us remember the well-known Bible story of King David lusting after a lady named Bathsheba so that he eventually committed adultery with her and sent her husband into battle, where he was killed. He didn’t want his family or friends to find out about it. Like so many today, he was foolish enough to think he could cover it up with lies and deceit so that no one would ever know. But David was fortunate enough to have a trusted friend who refused to simply back off and pretend it didn’t happen. Nathan cared enough to stand up and confront the king, who was on a collision course with exposure and defeat. He stood up courageously, in confidence and with love. David came clean. It hurt, but it also healed.
The sad truth in many relationships today is that too many simply cut what they could have untied. Some are quick to criticize instead of confront. Others seem to find joy in condemning. Then there are those who only want to castigate. Still others are quick to give their own self-righteous counsel. And, finally, some find it more convenient to simply cancel out of the relationship altogether. This is not how God wants His people to stand up for what is right.
Consider the apostle Paul’s teachings. In Galatians 6:1-2, he called on us to “restore” the one who was in the wrong. The Greek word he chose, which we translate “restore” in our English Bibles, is actually a medical term. It was used to describe a physician who sees a man with a broken bone in his arm, and he puts it back into place so that it can mend and be useful again. Only God, the Great Physician, can truly heal relationships that need to be mended, but it is our job to get the bones properly aligned so that He can do His healing work. This, like the work of the physician, is often painful, but it is also necessary.
When we continuously back off and do not stand up, our conflicts tend to fester like an untreated boil that needs to be lanced or like a broken bone that is not properly set in place. While we may be trying to avoid pain, a refusal to stand up to wrong can actually result in even more pain and agitation in our relationships. On the other hand, we all have witnessed unresolved conflicts that are the result of someone standing up (often in anger), without first backing off to listen to his or her heart. In conflict resolution it is never a matter of “either… or,” rather it is “both… and.” There is definitely a time to stand up, but Nehemiah’s example demonstrates that it should only come after a time of backing off. Rebuilders never cut what they can untie because they are convinced… it’s never too late for a new beginning!
Excerpted with permission from The Nehemiah Code by O. S. Hawkins, copyright O. S. Hawkins.
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Your Turn
There is a time to stand up. Conflict resolution is never simply another form of pacifism. Spend time with the Lord, back off, don’t let the conflict fester. Speak up! We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily […]

In our enthusiasm to celebrate children (a good thing), we are sometimes tempted to overlook the key Christian doctrine of original sin. A child can be raised by godly parents, yet still choose to live an ungodly life:
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.  —Proverbs 13:1
Some sons can bring great honor to their home and their parents; others choose to bring shame:
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.  —Proverbs 10:5
Some children will bring anguish rather than joy:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.  —Proverbs 15:20
At times children can even steal from their parents (Proverbs 28:24) or drive their mother from her own house (Proverbs 19:26). In this regard, the Bible is more honest than many contemporary Christians. In the Old Testament, God gives us accounts of children who do all sorts of heinous acts.
Abimelech, the son of Gideon, provides one such example. We don’t know a lot about Gideon and his parenting style, but we do know that God’s hand was with Gideon as He used him to free Israel from the control of the Midianites. After Gideon’s great exploits, the people tried to make Gideon king:
Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson – because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.  —Judges 8:22
Gideon refused, demonstrating a noble and humble character:
I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.  — Judges 8:23
Gideon lived a post-military life of blessing and had many children. After Gideon’s death, one of his sons, Abimelech, burned with ambition to rule the nation. Desperate to establish himself as ruler and remove all pretenders, Abimelech murdered all his brothers, except for one. By the providential judgment of God, Abimelech died when a woman dropped a millstone on his head. The Bible tells us that God lay behind this attack:
Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.  —Judges 9:56
God apparently didn’t have a problem considering this child a curse. In His providential plan, He sought the death of this wickedly ambitious son.
Sometimes a wayward son or daughter results from a poor upbringing; the parents may indeed have to assume some of the blame (Proverbs 29:15). But a child can receive many spiritual advantages and still choose, with the freedom God gives him, to become a wayward son. Jesus loved Judas as a son, yet the betrayer still opted to turn against Him. Adam and Eve had a godly son (Abel) and a murderous son (Cain). Was their parenting the only factor leading Abel to offer worthy sacrifices and Cain to turn into a selfish, jealous, and bloodthirsty sibling?
President John Adams had one son  —John Quincy — who followed him into the presidency and enjoyed a prosperous career. Two other sons had shameful lifestyles. Charles Adams became an alcoholic – his mother described him as a “poor, unhappy, wretched man.” One relative described Thomas Adams as “one of the most unpleasant characters in this world… a brute in manners and a bully to his family.” John and Abigail raised one remarkable son and two disgraceful ones. Was their parenting the only factor that determined each boy’s character?
I suspect I’ve probably raised more than a few eyebrows by now. I can even imagine some condemnations: “How dare you suggest children aren’t a blessing? I bet you also favor abortion, don’t you?”
No, I definitely do not. I am ardently, passionately, and unequivocally pro-life. But I’ve also had enough life experience to know that parenting – even sacred parenting – comes with no guarantees, and I grieve for the good, decent, and godly parents who get treated like pariahs because a kid of theirs goes bad. They weren’t “perfect” parents, of course, and in that sense they may share some of the blame. But tell me – just who is a perfect parent?
Show me one father or one mother who didn’t, at times, spoil their child, just a little. Who didn’t, out of fear or weariness or ignorance or overcommitment, fail to confront something that needed to be faced, at least one time? I’ll let that parent cast the first stone.
Some of us got away with it; some of us didn’t. In my travels I’ve met far too many godly parents who live with a gaping wound. Not only do they face the pain of watching their deeply loved child self- destruct, but they also live with a judgment that the child’s abhorrent way of life stems from their failure as parents.

Godly children are a tremendous blessing; this is a precious biblical truth. But Scripture is honest, and we should be as well. Wayward children can, at the very least, feel like a fierce curse.

How sobering to face the vulnerability that someone could make our lives absolutely miserable – and yet we would lay down our lives on his or her behalf without thinking about it. Just such an amazing spiritual transformation takes place in the journey of parenting. Once again, Paul models our call to this ministry when he writes,
Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?  —2 Corinthians 11:29

For many of us, however, the difficulty of parenting comes not in facing betrayal but in enduring a very tiring occupation. Today’s Christian usually prays for relief, for comfort, and for healing – but that’s not always what Scripture teaches us to do.

For example, the apostle Paul prayed that the Colossians would be…
…strengthened with all power according to [God’s] glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.  —Colossians 1:11
Instead of immediately asking for their deliverance, Paul prayed that the believers in Colosse would grow in maturity. If you think about it, how do we grow in endurance and patience? Only one path exists, which we’ve already mentioned: to have both our endurance and patience sorely tried, even past the breaking point, until we learn to rest in God’s “glorious might.” You’ll never develop your biceps if you lift just one-pound weights; you have to stress the muscle beyond its normal routine. The same principle holds true spiritually. If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we won’t have to grow in order to deal with them.

The crux of the issue is this: Our first and natural inclination in any trial is to pray for God to remove the difficulty. But God’s first priority is often to strengthen us in the midst of the difficulty rather than to take us out of the difficulty. That’s because He can see the treasure that lies at the end of the trail.

Consider how many times you have broken your promises once offered fervently and earnestly to God. Consider on how many occasions you have said or thought or even done vile things in full sight of a holy and perfect God. Consider God’s eagerness to forgive you, the persistence of His grace, the limitless supply of His understanding and patience and mercy  —all offered without condition on your behalf.
Without difficult children, we might take this patience and mercy and forgiveness for granted. That’s where difficult children become a rare gift – they show us a side of God we might otherwise miss.
Parenting may not be an easy journey, but in this it is truly a sacred one.

Excerpted with permission from Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas, copyright Gary L. Thomas
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Your Turn
Raising difficult children is definitely the often painful, hidden, and unspoken wild side of parenting, especially among Christians. But, what our children ask of us pales in comparison to what we ask of God. How have your parenting difficulties actually shined a brighter light on God’s grace in your life? Come join the conversation! We want to hear from you. ~ Devotionals Daily […]

The road to discipleship begins at the place of salvation. From the moment you give your life to Christ the journey of discipleship begins. However just as you choose salvation, you must choose discipleship. It does not happen automatically. Discipleship is becoming mature in your faith.
Unfortunately, everyone does not reach a place of maturity. The good news however is that the length of time you have been saved does not determine your maturity. If you want to, you can grow, mature, and become a true disciple regardless of whether you got saved early in life or much later. You must simply decide like the old song says, to follow Jesus – no turning back.
Why Should We Have a Discipleship Relationship with Other Believers?
One of the things to remember is that Jesus saved you for a purpose. Yes, heaven is the reward but he has work for you to do before you get there. If he just wanted you to go to heaven, then he would save you and take you to heaven. The fact that he does not do that means he has things for you to do. This is why discipleship becomes so important.
Part of the responsibility of helping people grow into followers of Jesus is to also help them discover why God has saved them and what their purpose is. Beyond that it is also to help others learn how to represent Christ to the world. This is why how you live and the things you say and do matter so much. It is also why we can’t just say we are disciples, we must live like it. The more you follow, the more you obey, and the more you become like Jesus, the better you will represent him. When this happens you become a true reflection of Christ which will ultimately bring glory and honor to God in the earth.
I want to close this article with a verse from James which I believe sums up what it means to be a disciple.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

The true heart of a disciple is not just in the learning. It is in the doing. Not doing to win God’s favor or approval, but doing to be obedient to what God desires. When you reach the place where you seek not only to be a learner or student but to really follow what God wants you to do, then and only then will you know what it means to be a disciple.
Related articlesWho Were the 12 Disciples and What Should We Know about Them?Why Discipleship is Essential (and Where to Start!)Why Does Jesus Say His Disciples Are “Ye of Little Faith”?
Photo credit: Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.  […]

As our nation finds itself in yet another highly divisive election season, our tendency can be to draw firm lines between ourselves based on which candidates we support, and that can in turn lead to personal dislike for one another, anger towards those who lead, and eventually division.
As Christians, we are to live in a fine balance; standing for that which is true while seeking unity amongst ourselves whenever possible, standing firm in the faith while showing grace to those who do not, holding our leaders accountable while praying for their wisdom and well-being.
We are to learn from the words of Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” We are to be those who stand in the gap, who lift up our nation with all it favors and faults before the throne of God, and pray that He continues to work in our midst.
Download your own personal copy of Prayers for America HERE! Print these and use them as a reminder throughout the day to pray for our nation and leaders.

Scriptures to Pray For Ourselves: 
1 Timothy 2:1-2 – I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
1 Peter 2:17  – Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
Romans 13:1 – Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Jeremiah 29:7 – Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Scriptures to Pray for our Leaders: 
Psalms 2:10-11 –  Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.  Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.
Proverbs 11:14 – For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Proverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Job 12:23-25 – He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.

Proverbs 2:1-8 – My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2) turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3) indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4) and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7) He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8) for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.May we be faithful, informed and thoughtful when praying and talking to others about our politics, and as we ask for God’s wisdom and righteousness to be evident in our nation’s policies and leaders. […]

If it feels like God has withheld good from you, remember that your Father knows your needs even better than you do. […]

Maybe it is a loss of a job or a tragic turn of events, perhaps a long-awaited opportunity passes you by. Whatever the reason, our lives often bump up against unexpected hurdles that leave us feeling saddened or frustrated. We are not immune from these occurrences. In these times, you may have heard, even voiced yourself, the well-known adage: “When God closes one door, he opens a window!” The phrase appears to be faithful enough, giving voice to God’s sovereignty over all things. While suggesting that God had a hand in the hardship we are experiencing, God does so only to provide something better – although better is left mysterious and undefined.
As with all clichés of the Christian life, there are two important questions we must ask ourselves: Is the phrase biblical? and Is the phrase helpful? In the case of this cliché, the answer to both these questions is a resounding “NO!”
The History of the Closed Door / Open Window Cliché
Tracing the history of clichés can be fun but difficult. Versions of the phrase exist in different places and times. This cliché is most popularly attributed to the musical, The Sound of Music. The phrase is spoken by Maria when she hears of the Captain’s broken engagement. “Reverend Mother says when the Lord closes one door, somewhere he opens a window,” she says. Again, it sounds to be a highly spiritual and faithful realization.
Of course, this phrase did not originate with the musical. Yet here is where tracing the history is hard. Both Alexander Bell and Hellen Keller have been cited as saying something akin to this phrase. This difficulty in tracing the history of this cliché, however, does highlight one fundamental truth. The phrase does not occur in Scripture. In fact, when we think about this phrase, there is hardly anything biblical about it.

There are three faults we must recognize in this cliché:
Fault 1: A Faulty Depiction of Life
The primary problem with this cliché is that it leads us into a faulty vision of the Christian life. Because the phrase is employed at the point of difficulty, it naturally assumes that the way of God is the way devoid of struggling or hardships. The window of God’s will is always that which leads us away from that which is uncomfortable. The good and pleasant things of life are never described to us as ”God closing a door.” Why? Because we like these things, and we assume that God does so as well. The cliché presumes that God’s will for our lives is always that which is easy and trouble-free.
Yet we do not see this in Scripture. In fact, have you ever noticed that the path of righteousness, for God’s namesake, runs right through the valley of the darkest shadows? (Psalm 23:3-4). While we might start in green pathways and still waters, as we progress in our Christian life, we come up against dark valleys and the presence of enemies. More importantly, when we look at the life of Jesus, we see that the way of Christ is the way of the Cross. Christ’s call to follow him is a call to follow him on the path of crucifixion. And yes, while this does end in resurrection, we can never assume that the path of least resistance is the way that God calls us to go.
The cliché assumes that any open window is beneficial for one’s life. It demands no further discernment. It is simply assumed that the earliest opportunity out of life’s struggles is the one issued by the Lord. Yet Jesus speaks definitively against this very notion. Jesus says: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14) The widest path ahead is not always the one we must take. Jesus himself lived this out when he rejected this very temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:8-9).
Of course, we should not assume that God delights in the hardship of God’s people. Of course not! Still, God’s will for our lives is always beyond the mere satisfaction of earthly enjoyments. The true satisfaction of life, the true life we are called to, is found upon the narrow way of Christian discipleship. The truth that Scripture proclaims, the reality that we all know intuitively, is that the decision to follow Christ does not always make our lives “easier.”

Fault 2: A Faulty View of Self
Not only does this cliché pose a problem for our vision of Christian life, it also leads us into a problematic view of ourselves. While appealing to God’s actions, the cliché assumes that we can never know the will of God in our lives. The cliché presupposes that we do not live in an interactive relationship with God. The problem does not lie in the fact that God “closes the door.” The discipline of prayerful discernment is based on the truth that God does, in fact, lead His people. This leading may involve a limiting of a path ahead. We see this in Acts 16. Unfortunately, the notion that “God opens a window” is left completely vague and undefined. One is left to question the what and the where of the open window, with no indication that God will aid in the persons in discernment. While attempting to offer comfort it only offers confusion.
See, the implication implicit in the cliché is that it is up to the individual to find the open window. One does not receive further direction from the Lord. We live our lives blindly moving through random occurrences, just hoping that somewhere we may stumble upon the will of God. Yet what happens if we do not find the open window? If it is true that God opens a window, but we do not go through it, then it makes the reality of our suffering completely dependent upon us. The prolonging of our times of hardships is placed squarely upon our own shoulders. Our sufferings are our own fault. Thus, not only do we experience a time of hardship, we bear the weight of rejecting God’s will. Instead of comfort, the phrase offers us the most horrific of condemnations.
Fault 3: A Faulty View of God
Ultimately, the main fault behind the cliché is a fundamental denial of God’s sovereignty. While the phrase sounds as if it gives full authority to the Lord, it rips these things from God’s hands and places them firmly within our own judgment. The cliché makes both the closed door and the open window dependent upon our own assessment. If we do not like the road ahead or find our path too laborsome, we conclude that God must clearly be closing the door on the path ahead. Conversely, when an opportunity falls in our lap, we need not present the matter to the Lord in humble prayer. Instead, we simply refer to the opportunity as “God’s open window” and charge ahead. Thus, our faith life is not lived in following the will of the Lord; we carve out our path. There is little to no faithfulness here. The language of “God” or “God’s will” simply becomes the rhetoric we use to justify our own self-mastery.

Scripture is filled with examples of people living this way. Each case is seen as a distortion of true faithfulness and obedience. King David, for example, sought to build the temple of the Lord, feeling it was a fitting accomplishment for his reign (2 Samuel 7). Neither he nor the prophet Nathanial inquires of the Lord’s will, believing the existence of the opportunity itself was a testament to the Lord’s approval of the matter. Unfortunately, the act of building the temple was not part of God’s will for David. David is rebuked for pridefully assuming himself to be the one to decides the parameters of God’s will. So too are we rebuked if we do the same.
What Does the Bible Actually Say?
Given these three faults, it is easy to see how the phrase “when God closes a door, He opens a window” does not coincide with biblical truth. As pleasant sounding as the phrase may seem, it offers little hope and no biblical truth to those who find themselves facing difficultly. This, then, begs the question: What does the bible actually say? The truth that Christians grasp, particularly in times of difficulty or hardships, is the intimate presence of God. We are never abandoned in our lives. Jesus’ parting words in the Gospel of Matthew testify to this promise. Jesus proclaims to disciples everywhere “I am with you to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). It is a recapitulation of God’s heartfelt promise in Deuteronomy to never leave or forsake his people (Deuteronomy 31:6). 
This is the truth proclaimed in all of Scripture. It is revealed as the Creator walks toward the wayward couple in the cool of the garden, it is the Shekinah of God traveling with Israel through the struggles of the Exodus; it is the truth that God was never away from the sufferings of Job, even though that is how it felt. But more than anything, it is a truth fully revealed in Jesus. We uncover this truth when Jesus comes to us wrapped in vulnerability and when he hangs on the cross, taking all pain and frustrations upon himself. Repeatedly the Bible holds forth the truth that in the places of this world’s darkness, where we may be tempted to believe that God has shut the door on our blessing or happiness. God is closer and more active than we realize. God does not sit on a distant cloud, away from the messiness of our life, hoping that we will grasp whatever lifeline he happens to throw our way. No. God, who is rich in love and mercy, dwells with us. He walks with us. He cries with us. Christians look not to open windows. We look to our incarnate Lord.

So, the next time someone you know finds themselves facing the brunt of unpredictable life, do not attempt to comfort them by some lame appeal to a mystical way out of their circumstance. Rather, point them to the biblical truth of the loving God that surrounds them no matter what life throws at them. Remind them that they need not fear the terrors of night or the arrows that fly by day because God alone is our rest and our fortress (Psalm 91). This is, and will always be, our ultimate comfort and hope in life.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/asiandelight
Reverend Kyle Norman is the Rector of the Anglican Parish of Holy Cross in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has a doctorate in Spiritual Formation and is often asked to write or speak on the nature of Christian community, and the role of Spiritual disciplines in Christian life. His personal blog can be found here. […]

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” — yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13–16)

James is talking about pride and arrogance and how they show up in subtle ways. “You boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”
When you take three categories of temptation to self-reliance — wisdom, power, and riches — they form a powerful inducement toward the ultimate form of pride; namely, atheism. The safest way for us to stay supreme in our own estimation is to deny anything above us.
This is why the proud preoccupy themselves with looking down on others. C.S. Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you” (Mere Christianity).
But to preserve pride, it may be simpler to just proclaim that there is nothing above to look at. “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 10:4). Ultimately, the proud must persuade themselves that there is no God.
One reason for this is that God’s reality is overwhelmingly intrusive in all the details of life. Pride cannot tolerate the intimate involvement of God in running the universe, let alone the detailed, ordinary affairs of life.
Pride does not like the sovereignty of God. Therefore, pride does not like the existence of God, because God is sovereign. It might express this by saying, “There is no God.” Or it might express it by saying, “I am driving to Atlanta for Christmas.”
James says, “Don’t be so sure.” Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live, and we will get to Atlanta for Christmas.”
James’s point is that God rules over whether you get to Atlanta, and whether you live to the end of this devotional. This is extremely offensive to the self-sufficiency of pride — not even to have control over whether you get to the end of the devotional without having a stroke!
James says that not believing in the sovereign rights of God to manage the details of your future is arrogance.
The way to battle this arrogance is to yield to the sovereignty of God in all the details of life, and rest in his infallible promises to show himself mighty on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9), to pursue us with goodness and mercy every day (Psalm 23:6), to work for those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4), and to equip us with all we need to live for his glory (Hebrews 13:21).
In other words, the remedy for pride is unwavering faith in God’s sovereign future grace. […]

Often in the midst of such uncertain times as we’re facing in our world today, it’s difficult to even know how to pray. We may find ourselves struggling just to keep holding on to hope. We might feel overwhelmed or discouraged, burdened with a deep ache in our hearts that cries out for God’s mercy, and a longing to see Him heal our land. Other times, we may even start to wonder how effective our prayers really are. 
Yet no matter how we feel, or how devastating the times we are walking through, God remains faithful. His Presence of power and peace still cover us in all that swirls around in our world today. He is greater than whatever difficulty we may face in this life.
Nothing has taken Him by surprise. Not ever. He’s on the throne and reigns over all. He has a plan and is at work on behalf of His people, “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
We never have to fear that God is up there in heaven nervously pacing the floors, wringing his hands, and wondering how He’s going to get us out of this mess. He is Sovereign. He knows all. From the beginning of time to who wins in the end. And He has a plan.
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”  (Colossians 1:17)

God understands our burdens, and He holds us secure. He is powerful and able to do far more than we could ever imagine. And the same power throughout His word, that broke prison chains, raised Lazarus from the dead, and parted the Red Sea; the same power that healed the blind man, and delivered the demon-possessed, that same power is at work even today.
For He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Yurii Kifor
A Prayer to Remember God Is Still on the Throne:
Dear God,
We confess our need for you today. We’re desperate for your peace. We need hope restored. We need to be reminded that you are constantly at work on behalf of those who love you.
Forgive us for trying to fix our situations all on our own. Forgive us for running all different directions and spinning our wheels to find help, when true help and healing must be found first in You. Forgive us for forgetting how much we need you, above everyone and everything else.

We come to you and bring you the places we are hurting. You see where no one else is able to fully see or understand. You know the pain we’ve carried. The burdens. The cares. You know where we need to be set free. We ask for your healing and grace to cover every broken place. Every wound. Every heartache. We ask for you to comfort all who weep, for those facing tragedy, loss, and devastation. Lord, we ask for your peace, we ask for your protection. We trust you for your constant work on behalf of your children.
We pray that you give us wisdom and discernment to recognize the schemes of the enemy in our lives and to stand strong against his work. We ask for your reminders to come to you in prayer, constantly, for all believers. We ask for your help to stay alert and aware of the battle surrounding us. Fill us with your power to be salt and light in a world that so desperately needs your hope. We put on your armor today and believe that in you alone we can stand strong. Thank you that you have given us all that we need for today. We pray for all who need to hear the message of hope in Christ, we pray for your miraculous power to set them free.
Lord, thank you that you are our safety, our Rock, and there is great power in your Name. Thank you that we can run to you when we face uncertainty and disaster. Please be a tower of protection and strength over your people.  We are grateful for your Sovereignty over all.
Thank you that you are able to do far more than we could ever imagine, and you are faithful to act on behalf of your children. We reach out to you, believing you are restoring and redeeming every place of difficulty, every battle, for your greater glory. Thank you that you will never waste our pain and suffering. We release to you every need and problem we’ve carried or tried hard to control. We believe in your goodness to see us through this dark time.
We love you Lord, and we thank you for your constant Presence with us.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Stay Alert to the Enemy’s Schemes:
The enemy is at work more than ever during these times. He will seek to divide believers and stir up strife and hate. He tempts us towards worry and fear and tries to trap us in his lies.
Don’t fall for it. Choose to set your mind and heart on God’s truth and stand strong in His promises over your life. There’s great freedom there. Freedom from anxiety. Freedom from defeat. Freedom from the burdens we try hard to shoulder on our own.
Don’t give in to the thought that God doesn’t know what He’s doing, in this life or in the world. That’s a lie straight from the enemy. What He’s allowed in our lives, even the most difficult of things, He will use for good somehow.
As much as we can wish it were so, God doesn’t always take us around our troubles. Sometimes He leads us straight through. Into the darkness, into the fire, into the deep. Or it might seem that we’re left stranded in the middle of some wilderness, stuck in a deep pit, and He’s forgotten us there.
But He’s faithful to carry us through.
We’re not meant to stay stuck in the trial. He won’t let the hardships define us. For when we belong to Him, He’s the only One who has the power to define our days. He breathes life and meaning. And He says we’re set free, redeemed. He says He gives us a future and a hope.
We may not see it, we may not even be aware of His Presence on the toughest days. But He hasn’t left us, not ever.  We can rest in knowing that He knows our way, He understands, He cares, and He has a plan to lead us out of even the fiercest of days. He’s able to see what we can’t see. He’s able to know what we don’t fully know. And He works on our behalf, through every difficult trial and storm-tossed time, bringing us through to the other side.
He is “God with us,” our refuge and strength, our Savior and Lord. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow. For God is already there. He brings light. And He has good still in store.

Remember His Promises: 15 Verses to Guard Our Hearts and Minds in Him:
Remember today, God is faithful. Choose to trust Him and believe that He is in control. Nothing is too difficult for Him. Grace and peace to you today as you choose to set your mind and heart on Him and His promises.
He is our stability: “And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; The fear of the LORD is his treasure.” Isaiah 33:6
He is Sovereign over all: “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19
He will sustain us: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
He is our refuge and strength: “God is our refuge, and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…” Psalm 46:1-2
He reminds us to “be still”: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
He is greater: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
Our times are in His hands: “My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.” Psalm 31:15
Photo Credit: © Unsplash/frdm

He heals the brokenhearted: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
We can fully trust Him: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Our help comes from the Lord: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
He gives us a future and hope: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
He is with us in it all: “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, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43:2-3
We will come out of this dark time as “gold”: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Job 23:10
He takes us by the hand and tells us not to fear: “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 43:13
He reminds us to bring Him our needs: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor’s wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of pets). Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead’s Facebook page, for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. Find her also on Twitter and at her blogdebbiemcdaniel.com.

This article is part of our prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.
Prayers from the Bible to Guide Your Prayer TimeTypes of Prayers We See in the BibleWhat Is the Prayer of Jabez in the Bible?How to Pray for Your Daily BreadPrayers for Anxiousness
Related: Listen to our podcast, Teach Us to Pray with Christina Patterson. You can find all the episodes at LifeAudio.com. Here’s Episode 1: […]

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