Tag Archives: Five Minute Friday

Faith, Five Minute Friday

There is only One Answer when facing Difficult questions

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Life is one big question. Wouldn’t you agree? We are facing difficult questions at every stage of life. Many uncertainties. We thought we had it hard when we were kids, but we soon realise it doesn’t get any easier as we become adults. 

Sometimes, it feels like there is a big question mark hanging over our heads. And from time to time, it feels like the hook on that question mark slips down and is hanging around our necks. It grips so tight, it almost feels like we’re suffocating. 

When faced with too many life changing questions, it can cause a whole heap of anxiety. One of the questions I often ask when I feel the weight of all this hanging around my neck is, why? Being a Christian, I thought dealing with life’s challenges would be easier. 

So why do I suffer then when I am a Christian?

Why is it when I choose to try and live well, I then suffer?

Why is it I feel under attack when I try to do the next right thing?

We are not protected from suffering when we become a Christian. It’s totally the opposite. I have learnt this so much in my own life. In whatever situation we face, when we step out in faith there will always be something around the corner ready to trip us up. 

It’s how we deal with these encounters that helps us to get up and face what is ahead, rather than to fall down and fail. (And even when we fall down, we have not yet failed because we know we can always get back up! *wink*)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

The Answer to our difficult questions

When we face a big question, know that you are not on your own. Satan is always waiting around to taunt you on this. When you feel you can’t take anymore, he is always there ready to pile something else on.

You know those days when it just feels like it’s one thing after the other? That’s him alright! He is trying to get in the way of you realising what you truly need to rely on. 

Lean into the One who can provide you with the Answer. 

Jesus. 

Jesus is the Answer. Don’t let that question mark hang around your neck for it to suffocate you. Turn to Jesus, the One who hung on the cross for all our questions. We will lack nothing if we let Jesus be the One to provide the answers. 

Turn to Jesus, the One who hung on the cross for all our questions. Share on X We will lack nothing if we let Jesus be the One to provide the answers.  Share on X

This was written for the Five Minute Friday Community, where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt and write to our hearts content. Usually we free-write for 5 minutes, but it’s ok to go over this or just use the word as a general prompt.

This weeks word prompt is ‘question’. Click here if you want to see what other people wrote. You can also have a go yourself. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘question’?

Five Minute Friday

What’s In A Name?

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This was written for the Five Minute Friday Community, where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt and write to our hearts content, but only for five minutes (or there about! I have marked where my five minutes stopped).

This weeks word prompt is ‘name’. Click here if you want to see what other people wrote. You can also have a go yourself. What do you think of when you hear the word ‘name’?

When I was growing up through school I was an easy target. With moving around a lot, I was always the new girl in class and I had very little self confidence. As a result, I was the class victim for everyone’s amusement. The problem though was I didn’t find it very funny. 

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Faith, Five Minute Friday

Holding On To The Promises From God

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In the same way the sun never grows weary of shining, nor a stream of flowing, it is God’s nature to keep His promises. Therefore, go immediately to His throne and say, ‘Do as You promised.’

Charles Spurgeon

A promise is where someone makes a pledge to do something. If someone promises something, it is guaranteed they will do it. You can rely on that person to carry through what they said they would do. 

So, what happens when a promise is not kept? 

When our friends or family let us down, it hurts. Depending on how big the promise was, the hurt is probably so deep we may feel rejected. It’s hard to then wonder if we can trust them again. 

There are many promises in the Bible about how God will take care of us and look after us. We should be able to rely on God because He will carry through what He has promised. 

But what about when we feel God let’s us down?

I have had people let me down in life, time and time again. Friends say they will be by your side, but when it comes to it, their promises are empty. People promise to “have your back”, but when the time comes, they turn their back on you instead.

And because I think God is like any other human being, why wouldn’t He do this too? Surely, at some point, God let’s us down? After all, if God promises to keep us safe, then why do we go through times of trouble? 

I know how hard it can be when you are thrown into a situation beyond your control. In these moments, the promises of God seem a little far fetched. But He is not like any other human being though, is He? God is not in the habit of making and breaking promises.

God is not in the habit of making and breaking promises. #promisesofGod Share on X

So, what promise can we hold on to?

I was recently reminded that God does not promise to keep us safe. Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean we have this protective bubble placed over our lives and nothing can pierce it. 

He knows we are going to face afflictions in our lives. God promises that when we are faced with trials, He will be there with us. God will be behind us pushing us forward, by our side walking our journey, and in front leading the way. 

God will be behind us pushing us forward, by our side walking our journey, and in front leading the way. #Godiswithus Share on X

He promises to send His Spirit to provide us with the necessary resources to get through life. We just need to seek Him out. This is the crucial bit I often forget. 

Are you going through something and you feel you have been abandoned by God? Why not take it to God right now? Maybe start by saying the prayer below. When you feel ready, mention what you are going through at the end of the prayer. 

Lord, thank you for the promise you have given to me that you would never leave me. Please give me the knowledge that you are always with me, even if I don’t feel you there. Instil a sense of peace within me today. Help me to stand firm when I feel I am falling. Amen. 

This was originally written for the Five Minute Friday Community, where a number of writers gather for a weekly writing challenge around a single word prompt and write to our hearts content, but only for five minutes (or there abouts).

I couldn’t stick to five minutes on this one though and ended up missing the link up! Doh!! The word prompt though was “promise”. You can click here to view what other people have written.

Five Minute Friday

If You Are Scared Of Failing, Practice Being Brave

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“Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” 

Mary Tyler Moore, actress

Being brave means you need to accept you will fail sometimes. And you will fail in life. That’s a fact. 

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