Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Recognizing God's Gifts and Facing Challenges with Faith

JESUS CHRIST WHO RESTORES.
1 Kings 17:17-24
V 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
Have you ever felt like life isn't fair? You see others with more, and it can be easy to get discouraged. But the Bible teaches us that God is our provider, and He gives us what we need, not always what we want. 
The story of the widow of Zarephath is a powerful example of both gratitude and facing challenges with faith. Despite God's provision of food during a famine, she questions His love when her son dies. It's easy to judge her from afar, but can we imagine the depths of her grief? Yet, she showed incredible faith by sharing it with the prophet Elijah, trusting God's promise to provide. God, in His infinite mercy, understands our limitations. Elijah, the prophet, even questioned God's actions on the widow's behalf. The story emphasizes God's willingness to go to great lengths to strengthen our faith, even if it means allowing hardship. This miracle wasn't meant to punish her, but to strengthen her faith. Sometimes, God allows challenges in our lives to help us grow closer to him.
Sometimes we get comfortable with our level of faith. But true faith grows through experience, even difficult ones. Life's difficulties, like sickness or loss, can stretch our faith. Though we may question God in our moments of despair, His love and forgiveness are constant. Trust that He is leading you, even when it's hard and one day, we will see the purpose behind our struggles and be grateful for God's faithfulness. We may not always understand why things happen the way they do but through faith, we can trust that God is always with us. He will never give us more than we can handle, and his grace is always sufficient. Let's strive to be grateful for his blessings, and face life's challenges with unwavering faith.
Prayer
Dear Lord please help with the many challenges that we face throughout our lives and strengthen our faith to witness your gifts and blessings to restore us. Amen

Thought for the Day
Fear the Lord your God and He will deliver you at his perfect time. 

Jincy Beneesh
Salem Mar Thoma Church, NY

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