NEVER ONCE DID WE EVER WALK ALONE
- Key Verse
- "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father." (Matthew 10:29)
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
Nothing happens apart from the will of God. He is aware of everything that goes on, big and small. And most importantly, He cares.
Reflections
Life is HARD. We live in a fallen world, and a lot of bad things happen to good people. So where is God through all of this? This passage is quick to remind us that God is there through the midst of it, and nothing happens apart from His will. He is concerned about even the sparrows, and Matthew 10:31 assures us that we are worth more than many sparrows.
My sophomore year in college was the hardest year of my life. I struggled with deep depression and suicidal thoughts throughout the entire year. I remember daily seeking the Lord and crying out to Him through my despair, but feeling an incredible amount of sadness anyway. However, I was able to learn so much through that time about relying on God and have since been able to counsel many other women through similar situations because of what I went through. God has a purpose for everything. His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). So even though I didn't understand, God was right there with me, and He put people in my path to love me and encourage me the whole time.
Even though we often experience trying situations, God is with us in the midst of them. One of my favorite songs we sing at Watermark, "Never Once" by Matt Redman says, "Never once did we ever walk alone. Never once did he leave us on our own. You are faithful, God, you are faithful." The truth of that song is so encouraging to me. God is aware of our problems, but not only that, He is concerned for us and loves us deeply. He may allow us to go through things to make us look more like Him or for other reasons we may never know, but He's THERE. And He is good and sovereign over it all. So trust Him to walk through your trial with you. He is ready and waiting for you to go to Him with your pain. Why? Because He loves you more than you could ever imagine.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you struggling with believing that God loves you and is there with you in the midst of difficult times? (Psalm 34:18)
2. What are some things you can do to remind yourself that God is with you and cares about you when you are facing trials? (Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6)
3. How has God shown His faithfulness and concern for you in times of pain and sadness? (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Lamentations 3:22-23)
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
MATTHEW 6-10 (JANUARY 9-13)
Read Matthew 6:25-34.
What is worry? What do you worry about?
What does God say about worry in these verses?
What things in nature does God tell us He takes care of?
How does He take care of them?
How does God take care of you?
Activity: Make tissue paper flowers. Go to this link and watch the video for directions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXNeVq2RxFU&feature=related
(Note: use a pipe cleaner instead of string to make a stem.)
Once you have completed your flowers. Cut out green leaves and write verse 34 on each leaf. Put these flowers where they will remind you that God will take care of you just like He takes care of the flowers.
Jeremy
January 13, 2012 04:59 AM
Hi Lauren, I was so blessed to read your words today! Thank you so much for reminding me that God cares about every detail of my life and that everything that happens to me has already crossed His desk first. Bless you! Jer.
Ashley Marie Eckstein
January 13, 2012 06:48 AM
Great devo, Lauren! Thank you for being willing to share part of your life to help people make the connection to scripture. I'm always amazed when I've come through a tough time and then much later the Lord uses that experience to help me counsel others going through the same thing. But, like you said in your devotional, we must rely on God through those tough times to get through, and we can, because He's always there! :)
Charb
January 13, 2012 07:57 AM
Hi, friend! Thank you so much for those encouraging words! That song is absolutely beautiful and the lyrics are so true and always make us tear up. It's so easy to forget that God's got us. We're so encouraged by how you've been faithful and used what He's brought you through to point others back to Him! Thanks for the beautiful reminder today that we can fully rely on God! Love you!
Monica Jackson
January 13, 2012 08:34 AM
Sweet Lauren, thank you so much for sharing your story and reminding us that God never leaves us.
Miranda Paige
January 13, 2012 09:00 AM
Lo! I am so happy that I woke up and remembered to start JtJ today! Yours was the perfect reminder to trust God even when I do not understand the present circumstances. I love that we have gone through many of the same trials, although different in each respect. I am so glad that God brought you through the suicide because my life has been forever changed by your presence. There are so many more things I want to say, but I just want to thank you for always being faithful and always being there for me. I feel we have known each other our whole lives, it is weird to think we didn't even know each other a year ago. You are so beautiful and such a wonderful woman of God. Keep seeking Him!! x
Troy Dandrea
January 13, 2012 09:05 AM
Great reminder Lauren! I remember reading somewhere "when you don't see His hand, trust His heart." That's the only way of freedom in this walk with Christ & it's been sweet to see you walk in it. Miss you, friend!
Lee Danis
January 13, 2012 09:11 AM
Lauren, you spoke from your heart and many will be blessed today because you shared. Sooner or later we will all face very trying situations on this earth. How can we be prepared? Your devotional did a good job of answering that.
Christy Johnston
January 13, 2012 09:21 AM
YES YES YES!!! Thank you so much. These words of truth are such encouragement. God bless you and your ministry.
Sue Bohlin
January 13, 2012 09:47 AM
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing how the Lord carried you through the deep darkness of your soul in college. There are a lot of people in exactly that place right now and I pray that God uses your devo in a powerful way to pierce their darkness with His light through your words. The other day, He made me laugh with a new twist on the same truth, that "never once did we ever walk alone." I was meditating on an aspect of grace--God's presence--and asked Him, "What about this, Lord?" I was swimming laps at the time, doing the side-stroke, and I "just happened" to see AT THAT MOMENT a sign on the wall of the pool: "No lifeguard on duty." Which is code for "You're on your own, buddy!" I laughed because of the way He creatively showed me the marvelous truth that grace means we are never on our own, we never need to fear there's no lifeguard on duty; He is always there with us and for us. I think God loves to make us laugh!
Jim McGhee
January 13, 2012 11:25 AM
Thanks for sharing this with us. I considered suicide as a way to escape my pain after my wife took the kids and left in 1976. That experience help me relate to people in similar situations in the following years as a counselor on a crisis line. But... I feel I must disagree on one point. The passage does not say that nothing happens that is not Gods will. It states that nothing happens that God doesn't know about. If He is interested enough to know how many hairs are on my head (and that gets easier every year) then He must have a real interest in me and my problems. It means so much to know He's always there for me!!! Thanks again for sharing your story. Its not easy sharing our pain with others, but it means so much to people that read it and are going through bad times themselves.
Bonnie Faires
January 14, 2012 08:05 PM
Thank you so much for your encouraging words it is truly amazing the pain and the struggles that God has rescued me from my daughter was abused for 6 yrs by her father I felt betrayed and alone I ran drugs and alcohol i clearly could not sense the presence of God in my life my daughter Alexandra clung to the song"Oh no you never let go"and could clearly feel the presence of God right beside her holding like a sheep on His shoulders carrying her through the trials and storms of her life we are now at Hopes Door and I will soon be going to rehab I honestly don't know how without Gods help I could ever make it but with Gods help I must make it although I feel overwhelmed although i do feel alone at times knowing that my daughter feels Gods presence in her life will get her through it we need help we need counseling we need strength and healing and JUSTICE for her but knowing that she knows God is with her I know she will get through this and she will be okay
Jo Tiller
January 16, 2012 12:07 AM
what truth and reassurance you have shared with the body in this devotional...thank you!
Jael
January 19, 2012 11:10 AM
its very encouraging to hear that GOd only knows our pain but that he CARES..thank you for allowing GOd to speak through you