Journey With Prayer | Cultivating Hope Through Life's Challenges

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This is Journey with Prayer, a prayer journey corresponding

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to a previous episode.

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Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this

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grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the

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glory of god. Not only that, but we rejoice in our

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sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

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and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

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And hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured

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out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to

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us. Romans 5 verse 2 to 5,

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taken from the ESV.

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Jesus, we approach you with hearts that are both heavy and

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hopeful, acknowledging your mighty power and the perfect

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purpose that you weave through our sufferings.

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We declare your faithfulness and your sovereignty as you shape

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us through the trials that we encounter. And we rejoice not

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for the suffering itself, but for the endurance, the character,

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and the hope that comes from it under your careful cultivation.

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Thank you for the process of refinement that comes through hardship

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as it guides us closer to your heart and deepens our reliance on

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you. In every season of pain and

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challenge, remind us that you are not just the God of the

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mountain tops, but also the God of the valleys.

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May we cling to that promise that you're working all

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things for our good and for your glory.

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And, father, we lift up those around us who are waiting through seasons of

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hardship. May they feel your presence, drawing from it

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the strength and the endurance needed to persevere.

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Help us all to see the beauty and hope that arises

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from faithfully walking with you through every trial.

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And transform our hearts. Lord, expand our

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empathy and love for others, especially the

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vulnerable and hurting in our communities. Give us the courage

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to act, the wisdom to support effectively, and

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the humility to lean on you throughout it all.

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And bind us together, Lord, as a community of believers who

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bear one another's burdens and celebrate one another's victories.

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May our lives reflect the hope that endures, shining brightly

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as beacons to those who are searching. In your

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glorious and wonderful name, Amen.

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So as you go through your week, I wanna encourage you to

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take the time to do these three things. 1st of

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all, reflect. Spend some time reflecting on Romans 5:2 to

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5. Consider what areas of your life are currently

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challenging and how God might be used in these situations to develop

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endurance, character, and ultimately hope in

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you. And then engage. Reach out to

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support a community member or a friend who is going through a tough

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time. Sometimes simple acts of kindness like sending an encouraging

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note, organizing community support, or

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simply listening can make a big difference.

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And lastly, pray. Here's 3 ways that you can

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pray. Pray for those in the midst of suffering,

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that they might find the peace and comfort only God can

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provide and endure towards a hopeful outcome.

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And you can pray for the church and community leaders to have

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the wisdom to effectively support and guide those suffering around

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them. And lastly, you can ask God

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to transform your own heart through your own experience and

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sufferings, cultivating a deeper character and a steadfast

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hope that can encourage others.

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Engaging with these things throughout your week will not only deepen your own

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faith experience but empower you to act as a beacon of hope

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and support to those around you.

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Check the show in once for these references, prayers, and scriptures,

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or to find out more about our podcasts, head over to journeywithcare.ca.

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I'm Johan, and thanks for praying with me

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today.