“22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.”

We know that IN all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

We were crushed and overwhelmed…and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us…and he did help us!” 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

I am glad…not because it (your troubles) hurt you but because the pain turned you to God.” 2 Corinthians 7:9

By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.” Proverbs 20:30

So even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” Hebrews 5:8

Suffering made Jesus perfect, and now he can save forever all who obey him.” Hebrews 5:9

God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. Then, when others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-6

(Paul in Prison) “I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.” Philippians 1:12

In everything we do we try to show that we are true servants of God. We patiently endure suffering and hardship and trouble of every kind.” 2 Corinthians 6:4

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“Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.” Psalm 145:3 (NLT)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Ephesians 2:8

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace withGod through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5b

20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Romans9:20

“7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” Hebrews 12:7

“God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

“The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to belost.” 2 Peter 3:9

“‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the LORD. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.’” Isaiah 55:8

“Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

“But God has given us his Spirit. That’s why we don’t think the same way that the people of this world think. That’s also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us.” 1 Corinthians 2:12

“Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.” Psalm 145:3

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“Jesus went everywhere, teaching…preaching…and healing people who hadall kinds of disease and sickness.” Matthew 4:23

“…those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to theirfaithful Creator and continue to do good.” 1 Peter 4:19

See also: John 16:33, Philippians 1:29, Colossians 1:24, 1 Thessalonians 3:3

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

“Are you HURTING? Then you should PRAY. Are you happy? Then you should sing songs of praise. Are you SICK? Then you should call the church elders to PRAY over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. And the PRAYER offered in faith will heal the SICK PERSON; the Lord will raise him up. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven. Therefore CONFESS your faults to eachother and PRAY for each other so that you may be HEALED. The earnest PRAYER of a believing person is powerful and effective. For example, Elijah was a human being just like us. Yet when he PRAYED earnestly that no rain would fall, so there was no rain three and a half years! Then, he PRAYED that it would rain, and itpoured down and everything began to grow again!” James 5:13-18

We don’t know God’s will! God uses illness in many ways:

“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Psalm119:71

“Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.” Proverbs 20:30

“I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has helped spread the Good News.” Philippians 1:12 )

Jesus: “This sickness will not end in death. It is an illness for the glory of God, to bring glory to the Son of God.” John 11:4

To take us into eternity

“God has already appointed a time that each of us will die and then our lives will be judged by God.” Hebrews 9:27

“…The earnest prayer of a believing person is powerful and effective! For example, Elijah was a human being just like us. Yet when he prayed earnestly… (miracles happened).” James 5:16-17

Jesus: “I tell you the truth, ANYONE who has FAITH IN ME will do what I’ve been doing. He will do even greater miracles than these, because I’m going to the Father. And I’ll do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:12-13

“CONFESS your faults to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16a

“You do not have, because you do not ask God.” James 4:2b

“When you ask, you must believe and not doubt…” James 1:6

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Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:13-16

“…3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do notthink of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather thinkof yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faithGod has distributed to each of you..” Romans 12:3

“7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away fromme. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

“21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…” 1 Cor. 12:21-22

Paul: “10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

“3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfortthose in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:4

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

“Confess your faults to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16

“We speak with complete honesty, hiding nothing, sharing our true feelings, and opening our heart wide to you.” 2 Corinthians 6:11

“I think you ought to know dear brothers, about the hard time we went through in Asia. We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. Wefelt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

“ Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5

“5 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” 1 Timothy 1:15

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannotcarry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, butthe evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.!” Romans 7:18-19

I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and mypreaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power 1 Corinthians 2:3, 5

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“No one knows what will happen in the future and there is no one who can tell us.”

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to a certain city and we will stay there a year. We will open up a business there and we will make a profit.’ But you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow! And your life is as brief and uncertain as the mist of a morning fog. It’s here a little while, but then it disappears! So instead, what you ought to say is, ‘IF it is the Lord’s will, we will live long enough to do this or that.’ Otherwise you are just boasting and bragging about yourself, and that kind of pride is wrong and evil. But remember, anytime you know the right and good thing to do, but you don’t do it, then you sin.” James 4:13-17

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow WE WILL go to a certain city and WE WILL stay there a year. WE WILL open up a business there and WE WILL make a profit.’” James 4:13

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding. In all your plans acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“If you want to know what God wants you to do, just ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a generous supply of wisdom to all who ask him.” James 1:5

“But you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow! And your life is as brief and uncertain as the mist of a morning fog. It’s here a little while, but then itdisappears! So instead, what you ought to say is, ‘IF it is the Lord’s will, we will live to do this or that.’ Otherwise you are just boasting and bragging about yourself, and that kind of pride is wrong and evil.” James 4:14-16

“Don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own!” Matthew 6:34

“Don’t brashly brag about what you’re going to do tomorrow because you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow!” Proverbs 27:1

“But remember, anytime you know the right and good thing to do, but you don’t do it, then you sin.” James 4:17

“We can be sure we know Christ IF we obey his commands. The one who says, ‘I know him,’ but doesn’t do what he commands is a liar.” 1 John 2:3-4

“We should make plans – counting on God to direct us.”

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” 4 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good isit? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds .”Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.20 Youfoolish person, do you want evidence that faith withoutdeeds is useless[a]?James 2:14-20

“STAND firm in your faith. Stay brave, be strong, and doeverything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

21 “father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gavelodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:21-26

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“If any of you lack wisdom, you should pray and ask God, because he gives it generously to anyone who asks! He never resents your asking. God loves to help you and he’ll give you the wisdom you need. Just ask!” James 1:5

“Those who become wise will be happy; wisdom is the key to a blessed life.” Proverbs 3:18

“Wisdom is good for the soul. If you get wisdom, you’ll have a bright and securefuture.” Proverbs 24:14

“Reverence for the Lord is the foundation of all true wisdom. The REWARDS OF WISDOM are given to anyone who listens and obeys God.” Psalm 111:10

Jesus: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:17

“God’s way is always perfect, and God’s word is always true.” 2 Samuel 22:31

“If you look intently into God’s perfect Word that gives you freedom, and you continue to do this, not forgetting what you’ve learned, and then you put it intopractice in your life, you will be blessed in everything you do!” James 1:25

“If you keep company with wise people, you’ll become wise! But if you hang out with foolish people, you’ll suffer from making bad choices.” Proverbs 13:20

“Anyone with God’s wisdom will know what makes good sense, but foolish can never make up their minds.” Proverbs 17:24

“When you ask God for wisdom, you must believe and expect God to answer because anyone who starts doubting is like a wave in the sea that is blown and tossed around by the ever-changing winds. You won’t get God’s wisdom if you’redouble-minded, always wavering back and forth. That only makes you unstable and insecure in everything you do.” James 1:6-8

Jesus said, “According to your faith it will be done to you!” Matthew 9:29

“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those of us who love Him and are called to live His purpose for us.” Romans 8:28

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When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.“ James 1:13-16

4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world?Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4-5

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us Romans 8:37

“We should remove from our lives anything that gets in the way (of our spiritual growth) especially those persistent sins that so easily distract us…” Hebrews 12:1

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” Proverbs 4:23

Physically Exhausted. . . Discouraged & Pessimistic. . . Bored or Discontented Sad or grieving

“Call to me when trouble comes and I will save you…” Psalm 50:15

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as weare—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time ofneed. Hebrews 4:15-16

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil with good.” Romans 12:21

“We capture every thought…and we make it obey Christ!” 2 Corinthians 10:5

“When temptations come into your life remember that they’re no different from what others commonly experience. And God is faithful. He will never let yoube tempted beyond what you can bear. Also when you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will be able to withstand it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

“God blesses people who continue strong when they are tempted. They will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James1:12

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