Month: December 2025

We start our year in January thinking about the twelve long months that lie ahead.  Months that will span the seasons.  Months that will be filled with events, opportunities, changes, and growth.  Twelve whole months, 365 days, countless hours, so much time and so many experiences await us.  But then in the blink of an eye, it is December again.  Where did the year go?  What happened to all those days and hours?  They flew by in a flash!  One day it was New Years and the next day it was Christmas! 

We may lament time passing so quickly, or we may relish it.  But there is no denying that time flies!  And, as my mom always said, “The older you get, the faster it goes!”

Time is constant that God created for us when He put the heavens and earth in order in Genesis. 

Genesis 1:14 – And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

That being said, we know that in reality, the speed of time never changes. It doesn’t go faster one day and slower the next.  It is only in our perceptions that it seems to vary.  And our perceptions are often affected by how we feel.  For instance, if we are facing a negative situation, time seems to drag on forever.  But if we are enjoying a positive situation, time seems to move at lightning speed. (Hence the saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun”.)  Have you ever been sick for a week?  Have you ever taken a week’s vacation?  Which week flew by faster?  I rest my case. 

Our perceptions of time also involve perspective.  When we were children, the world was huge and time was abundant.  Back then, time was not a precious commodity that we had to guard. From a child’s perspective, time was carefree.  But as we get older, the world begins to shrink, and time becomes a significant factor in our lives.  As adults, we have responsibilities that make demands on our time.  Schedules, deadlines and appointments all chip away at our time allotment.  We are ever cognizant of the passage of time.  We may often feel like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish what needs done.  An adult’s perspective is very different.               

When I was a young teenager, I heard my mom tell a story about something that had happened 30 years prior.  As I listened, it was difficult for me to imagine having a memory of something so long ago.  Not only did it take place 30 years ago, but when it took place, my mom was older than I was at the time.  I simply couldn’t fathom having memories from more years ago than I had been alive.  What must that be like, I wondered.  My mom must feel so old to have lived so many years.  My mom was 48 when she told this story, which is the same age my daughter is now.  Time is all about perspective!    

Here on earth, time is an important element in our lives.  It basically governs our day.   It benefits us to use it wisely. Once it passes, it is gone. If we waste it, it is lost.  Making good use of our time fosters success.  Squandering it is unprofitable. 

But time will not always be an issue for us.

The Bible says that Christ Jesus is coming back to gather us together, and that we will be in heaven with him FOREVER. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

We received everlasting life when we got born again.  It is called everlasting life because it had a starting point which was the moment we were saved.  It is called eternal life because it has no end.  That life is already ours, but it is not the life that we see with our eyes.  It is the spiritual life with which we are endued.  It is the life that is guaranteed to us by having holy spirit within us. 

What we see with our eyes is temporal and pertains to our earthly life which is controlled by the confines of time.  We cannot see our spiritual life, but it will last forever.  And forever breaks all the bonds of time.  And whether time is moving too fast for you right now or lingering way too long, keeping your eyes on your eternal life is the remedy. 

When I think of time, I remember this verse:

Psalm 90:4 – For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

God is eternal. He has always been and He will always be.  He is not bound by the reckoning of time like we are.  To Him, a thousand years are as a day, and a day as a thousand years.  (You can also check out 2 Peter 3:8)  God is not restrained by our timelines, nor is He limited by our perceptions.  God always has time to hear and answer our prayers.  God’s schedule is always open for His kids whenever they need Him.  He is never daunted by deadlines.  God’s timing is always perfect! 

So, if this year has whizzed by in a blur, or if it has been agonizingly slow, you can still rest assured that God has been with you every single one of the 31,536,000 seconds of 2025. And when it’s December again in 2026, He will still be with you! 

Hebrews 13:5 …for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Note to my readers:  Merry Christmas.  Happy New Year.  God bless you!  I love you!  Thanks for reading. 

Recently, I saw a video of a young woman talking about her life-long health struggles.  The trials that she has endured were far worse than what I think I could have handled.  But she has persevered and she continues to fight.  Her heart-rending story spoke loudly to me because I have been going through a rough patch of my own lately.  And although my circumstances cannot compare to hers, recent times have been difficult.

Accounts such as the one above are generally inspirational.  They evoke the idea, “If they can do it, I can do it”, which can motivate us to bear up under the pressures of our situation.  When we see that someone is dealing with a problem much more severe than ours, it helps us view our situation from its proper perspective and quit feeling sorry for ourselves.  In addition, someone’s journey to success might inspire us because that journey often includes roadblocks, setbacks, and times of almost giving up, which might be similar to our own experiences. 

This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…”

When we experience troubles, trials or rough patches, we may think that we are the only ones suffering from any kind of adversity.  But this verse says that our temptations (hardships designed to defeat us) are a common part of being human.  Knowing this, helps alleviate the anxiety caused by thinking, “What’s wrong with me?” or “Why is this happening to me?”

And before I go any further, these temptation/hardships DO NOT come from God!  They come from our enemy, the devil, who runs the show here on earth and whose mission it is to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10) 

(You can also look at James 1:13, which clearly states that God is not the source of our temptations.) 

This brings up another point – what if the reason we’re facing a hardship right now is our own fault? 

Lamentations 3:22, 23 – It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

God’s mercy is never thwarted by our mistakes or carelessness, or even by our disobedience.  That doesn’t mean that there may not be consequences for our actions (there are laws in life).  But it means that God does NOT hold our faults against us.  He is a compassionate, loving, and faithful God, who cares more for us than we know.  He recognizes our weaknesses, not to condemn us for them, but so He can shower His mercy upon them. 

When we are troubled or going through a rough patch, the avenue to our deliverance is simple.  It might not be easy, there may be hard work involved; but it is simple, or uncomplicated.  And here it is in a nutshell – change your mind.  It’s just that simple, but it is a process. 

The first step in the process is to recognize what you are thinking about your current situation.  Are your thoughts negative, fearful, or hopeless?  Are you thinking, “I can’t do this”  or “This situation can’t be fixed”?  Harboring those kinds of thoughts will keep you bound in your troubles because they are wrong believing. 

You must change those thoughts into positive, confident, and hopeful thoughts.  Thoughts like, “I can do this!” or “This situation isn’t going to beat me.” will pave the way to your success.  These thoughts will enable you to rise above your trials because they are right believing. 

But how do we accomplish this change?  Here is an analogy that can help you change your mind.* 

Think of your mind like a camera.  The first thing we do when we want to take a photograph is determine what we want our picture to be.  Once we’ve chosen our picture, we adjust the camera lens to get the shot in clear focus.  And we consider the necessary exposure time so that all factors in the picture can work together for the perfect photo.  Then we shoot the picture. 

 In similar fashion, we need to be clear in our minds about what the picture of our successful deliverance should look like.  And we must keep that picture in sharp focus until the exposure time is accomplished.  Then we will receive our desired results.

However, what happens so often is that all the hubbub of life steals our focus.  We might have a lovely picture in view, but our minds get distracted by the obstacles that lay between it and us.  Sometimes as we pursue our perfect picture, our minds get blindsided by an unforeseen negative occurrence.  These things can rob us of our resolve, but they do not need to stop us. We can use the camera analogy over and over to keep our minds on track.     

Another stumbling block that we might encounter is getting impatient.  We may feel like we just can’t wait for our picture’s necessary exposure time.  This could result in an underdeveloped picture.  The results could be okay, but we may miss out on a better solution.  We should not settle for a blurry picture. 

If you are in a rough patch right now, why not try utilizing the camera analogy in your mind?  Get a clear picture of your success and keep it in sharp focus.  Do not allow any other images to take precedence over it.  Don’t let yourself get talked out of your desired results.  And don’t give up if it doesn’t happen right away.  Proper exposure time may not be immediate.

Here are a couple of things that I do to help me change my mind and maintain a positive attitude in life’s difficult situations.  First, I search God’s Word to find the scriptures that truly speak to my heart in my current circumstance. 

For example:  Psalm 34:6-10 

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

These verses can help us with a myriad of troubles.

I put all the scriptures and encouraging comments that I’ve found into a document which I read regularly.  This is a continual reminder of what my deliverance picture can and should be; and it helps me stay positive-minded. 

Next, I pray, pray, and pray some more.  Prayers keep our picture in focus. Prayers bring peace, and peace guards our hearts and minds.  When we are peaceful, we can be patient and allow the proper exposure time.  Earnestly praying to God allows us to cast our cares on Him and maintain our believing image of victory. 

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

It is interesting to note that the law of believing is a universal law.  Positive believing brings positive results, and negative believing brings negative results.  And the law is not limited by whether we’re Christian or not.  BUT consider this – would you rather depend on your own ability or on God’s ability?  Do you want to tap into the resources of God or merely lean on your own understanding?  The choice is yours.  We can come to God with bold believing and receive great success because He has made exceeding great and precious promises unto us.  And because of God’s mercy and grace, we can claim those promises in any situation. 

No matter what state you’re in right now, your believing matters.  Therefore, it behooves us to make every effort to build and maintain positive believing in our lives.  Doing this enables us to overcome our troubles, rise above our trials, and enjoy the wonderful possibilities that God has in store for us. 

Romans 8:37 says “…we are more than conquers through him that loved us”.  We wouldn’t be conquerors at all if there was nothing that needed to be conquered.  And we wouldn’t need to be delivered if there was nothing to be delivered from.  So, stop focusing on what is wrong, and start focusing on a successful solution. Troubles, trials, and rough patches can occur in anyone’s life and there is no doubt they can be overwhelming.  BUT we can overcome any and all of them by believing and accepting God’s help.  God is always ready willing and able to deliver us from any hardships we may face.  And there is nothing too hard for God!  (Jeremiah 32:17)

It is our believing God that brings our deliverance in times of trouble, heartache or need because that believing unleashes God’s matchless power in our lives.  God wants His children to be shining examples of His extraordinary kindness, so He withholds no good thing from us.  If you are in a rough patch right now, don’t be dismayed.  Rather, hold on tightly to your picture of success and thank God for its glorious fulfilment.  Your deliverance will come. 

Note to my readers:  Your victory could be just around the corner.  Don’t stop now! 

Thanks for reading! 

*The camera analogy is taken from the book, The Bible Tells Me So, by Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille; Chapter One, “Release from Your Prisons”.