In the middle of your situation, God has not left you. He has His hands on you, and He said He'll see you through. Jeremiah 18:5-6 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.’” Just as the potter molds the pot, God is molding you for His purpose. The question is, what are you going to do with what He's put inside of you? What are you holding in your pot that needs to be poured out? What are you taking in to fulfill your purpose for God? And are you willing to endure the process so that God can be made famous?

God doesn't ask us to do the impossible, that's His job; but He does ask us for our praise. 2 Samuel 6:21 says, "... I will celebrate before the Lord." Our praise must start somewhere because we all have something to praise God for, and He deserves the highest praise because we owe Him so much. Yet it cannot be forced, but freely given unto Him so He knows that the praise He'll receive will be unconditional, unwavering, and unfeigned!

No matter who you are, what you do, or where you're from, disagreements are a guarantee in life. The key, however, is how you choose to respond to them. 1 Corinthians 1:10 says, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” But how do we walk in unity when society projects division? How do we begin to make a change in a world focused on hate? We do it by walking in love; we do it by making the union stronger than the disagreement, and we do it by looking beyond society's projections of the world. If we're going to make a change, we do it by starting with “me”! The “me” God has called you to be.

There are 2 types of people in this world; those that have been hurt, and those that are going to get hurt. The world trains us to hide our hearts with masks that God is trying to remove. Psalm 46:1 reads, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." This verse encourages us to find hope, healing, and comfort in God. Because, there is no way to avoid the hurt, we need to turn to the one that can take it away. God never promised we would not get hurt, but He did promise to NEVER forsake us during the hurting!

It's in our nature to hide our sin, and what's foremost on our minds will manifest itself in our lives. Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Nobody is exempt from the consequences of sin. The choices you make now will impact those you love later. You can choose to conceal your sin today, or you can choose to confess it and take off the mask. God's love is unfailing and if you trust Him with your issues, He will provide healing like only He can. So what are you hiding in your heart today? What are you hiding behind the mask?

Proverbs 15:31-32 reads, "Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding." Self-deception leads to self-destruction when we wear our masks so long that it becomes normal. The manipulation of the world convinces us that we're always right, rather than being wrong when it comes to our 'best' qualities. When we follow the Steps to Live in Truth we become prepared for God to show us the area in our lives that needs to be unmasked. The longer we view ourselves through a distorted lens, the easier it is to believe a distorted truth, and even easier to believe the mask in the mirror.

Luke 10:33-34 says, “But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.” Often times we see others in need and pretend we're not aware. We put up a mask to their situation because it requires more than we’re willing to give. But the attitude of your heart reflects the activity of your mind. It is not enough to know to do good, but you must do it as well. And when you experience the love of Jesus, you should willingly extend it to others. So take off your mask! Someone, somewhere needs your help. And just as Jesus stretched out His hand to you, you should go and do likewise.

Get ready to be faithful while being flexible. Genesis 11:31 says, "... and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there." Often times we settle for less than the best of what God has for us. But settling lowers our faith in God and keeps us from the process of development. In this process you won't be alone because you have Jesus, and those who notice the change brewing in your life. Typically movement attracts people, and God requires us to draw near to others as we draw near to him. So find the motivation to continue on your journey and encourage others to do the same along the way. And remember that we are not better than one another, but rather Better Together!

Luke 5:18-19 says, “Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.” The world today is trying to fix sin with a band aid from the society, but the only way to truly wash away sin is with the blood of Jesus. God has called you to reach people far from Him. And while getting people to God will not be easy, it's a miracle in the making that IS worth every moment. So remain determined and dedicated to the mission of deliverance, and get people to Jesus by any means necessary.

God has promised rain in your dry season. And although you feel like you're alone, know that God has not left you nor will He forsake you. But during the process of His plan, He is preparing you for a purpose. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” We want God to take us out of what He wants to take us through. But just because you haven't seen progress, doesn't mean He's not moving in your situation. Are you willing to stay in position even though you can't see the rain?