Steve Lufburrow, Long-time Church Member

Acts 5:17-19
“Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.”

Reflection:
In life, we have challenges every day. Challenges can be with people and situations. I think of co-workers over the years that have been difficult to work with. I think of family conflict when our boys were in high school and were pushing boundaries. Those are just two examples, but we all have many areas of challenge in our lives. I have always found that praying about those situations made them easier for me to handle. I have wondered how people handle the challenges and extreme pressures of life without prayer and a relationship with Christ. I’m thankful that my faith in Christ has carried me through some very difficult times in my life.

In today’s scripture, having faith in God does not make our troubles go away. Our faith makes troubles appear less frightening because faith puts them in the proper perspective. It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you have God by your side. I developed a habit early on in my career. When I’m about to face a challenge in my office or in my home, I say a quick prayer asking for guidance, proper words, patience, understanding, and grace. I am always amazed at the outcome. It is never like I imagined it to be. God’s love provides a proper perspective and gives us what is needed to handle the challenge.  

How might the practice of prayer impact your life? Perhaps it is already a big part of your day-to-day. Take a moment and reflect on the situations in your life and how your faith gave you the peace to handle the challenge. Or perhaps you are interested in incorporating more prayer into each day. Say a prayer before your next challenging event and remember that Christ is walking with you. Christ is holding you and giving you the words to make the challenges of life easier. Keep the faith.

Prayer:
Lord give me the strength and the words to handle the challenges of today as you would want. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen