Life is hard. For most, it’s hard in seasons. You may be experiencing a tough season as you carry a big burden, be it financial, physical, relational, or spiritual. In the midst of all of these trials that are the suffering of life, God is faithful to carry us through. This Reading Plan from author Bobby Schuller offers you practical steps to finding “Stability in a Fragile World.”
Bobby Schuller
Day 1
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-10
“You Are a Solid Rock”
Life is hard for all of us. For some, it’s harder than for others. For most, life is hard in seasons. You may be experiencing a tough season right now as you carry a big burden – a financial burden, a health burden, a relational burden, a spiritual burden.
Other times, things may be going great in our lives, yet we feel unstable, empty, alone, lonely, broken.
In the midst of all of these trials that are the suffering of life, God is faithful to carry us through. No suffering in the kingdom of God lasts forever. I’ve never known a storm to be endless or somebody who trusts in God not to have ultimate victory over difficulties. And that is what you’re going to have today – victory through stability.
In Jesus’ name, you are a solid rock. You are a strong tree. You are filled with the very person and spirit of Jesus Christ. And you are given the authority to overcome every burden and break every chain. And, through God’s strength, you will help others do the same.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the strength to overcome the hardships in life. As I humble myself and cast all my burdens on you, help me to help others who are suffering as well. Amen.
Day 2
Scripture: Psalms 91
“You Are a Lighthouse”
There is virtue in stability. It’s the idea that I’m not going to slink away, I’m not going to be afraid, I’m not going to hide, and I’m not going to procrastinate. I’m going to face life head on. Why? Because I have the power within me to do so. Within me is the person of Jesus Christ, and Jesus does not take a knee to cancer, to death, to illness, to suffering, to challenges of any kind. Christ within me endures and Christ within you endures.
Life is moving at a million miles an hour. As everything is changing, everything is fluctuating, there is nothing more needed than dependable, stable people that are true, that are faithful, that are loyal, that you can count on – and that’s you. In our crazy world, there is nothing more refreshing and reassuring than being or knowing a strong and stable individual.
You are a stable person, you are a rock, you are someone that people look to for encouragement in the storms of life. You are a lighthouse. You are a shelter to people who are hurting. That is what God has given you. And that is what God is like. When we suffer and when we’re going through trials, we run to him and he gives us shelter.
Prayer: Dear Lord, you shelter me in times of trouble. May I be one to help others as you help me in their times of need. Amen.
Day 3
Scripture: Mark 4:35-41
“You Are Rooted in God”
Do you ever wonder why you’re experiencing so many storms in your life? I truly believe that people who have great destinies for their lives are attacked spiritually by the enemy. And if it’s a spiritual attack, then we know who the King of the spiritual world is, right? God will carry you through and he has the authority.
You are no longer going to be tossed back and forth by the winds. You are no longer going to be deceived by the craftiness of people. You are no longer going to be blown about and rocked by the waves. You are going to live the truth, speak the truth, and advocate for the truth in everything you do because you are a stable, rooted person. No longer are you going to be broken by the storms. No longer are you going to be afraid.
You are confident because you have faith in the only living God in Jesus Christ.
Faith that gives you stability in life is not only for you; it’s also for the people around you. In our broken, fragmented, scary world, people need brave people like you. People of faith. People that can be trusted. People that are loyal. People that are faithful. You are all of these things, so be confident and endure.
Prayer: Dear Lord, in the storms of life, you carry me through. My faith in you takes away my fear. May the stability I receive from you help others as well. Amen.
Day 4
Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-13
“You Are a Tree”
If you have Christ within you, you have all the power to be a stable presence in a violent, chaotic, and fragmented world. You are like a strong, deeply rooted tree.
A tree is a great descriptor of stability and strength. Jesus uses this word often to describe a disciple living and thriving amidst the challenges of life. He does so because the tree is an amazing creation. You never want to hear that somebody hit a tree with a car because the tree always wins.
In a storm, the top of the tree may bend in the wind because it’s flexible. It may lose some branches and its leaves may blow away, but in the end, that trunk is strong and stable, because when the wind blows through the tree, it pulls on the root system ever so slightly giving it a workout. If the tree endures a storm, and they usually do, that tree now has an even stronger root system and trunk.
You are like that tree. Every storm you go through, you will endure because Christ lives in you. Everything you face, you will press through as long as you don’t give up, curl up, and die. You are going to endure with faith, not with fear because Christ lives in you. And every time a storm comes, you are only going to get stronger and be more prepared for the next storm that comes.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I am a deeply rooted tree, growing stronger in you with each passing storm in life because of your love and grace. Amen.
Day 5
Scripture: John 15:1-11
“You Will Bear Fruit”
What makes a healthy tree stable is that it’s nurtured. Its roots go down into the soil where they receive nourishment. Its branches reach up to the sun. The tree does not get up and go watch TV and then come back to the river. The tree is stable, fixed, rooted. And the longer it’s there, the stronger it becomes. And it bears fruit in its season.
A tree doesn’t have to try to bear oranges. A tree doesn’t manufacture oranges. Simply by being nourished, by being stable, by being established where it is planted, it bears fruit. And that is you.
You may be experiencing a cold season of winter where life is hard, but God is preparing your life to bear tremendous fruit.
Our fragile world needs stable, rooted, nourished people like you. Our world needs you! Do you want that? Receive it with faith. God is making you stronger, God is making your roots deeper, God is making your branches wider, God is making your fruit sweeter. Endure the winter. Be stable.
Prayer: Dear Lord, you nurture me and feed my soul. Help me to blossom into the person you designed me to be, rooted in your word and watered by your love. Amen.
Day 6
Scripture: Ephesians 4:14-24
“You Are Unwavering”
For those in the early church, it was hard to be a Christian. Sometimes they were hunted, and when they weren’t hunted, they were looked down upon, seen as prudes who were no fun. They were considered outsiders because they didn’t practice the religion of the Roman Empire. They lived in a chaotic territory where everything was about Roman life and that wasn’t their world. Their world was the kingdom of God.
Do you ever feel that way as a Christian, as a believer? That you don’t fit in? That everything is in flux?
With its constantly changing technology, looming terrorism, and shifting moral values, the world can feel like a very scary place. But guess what? It doesn’t matter. While the world is constantly changing, the word of God stays the same.
You are no longer going to be tossed back and forth by the changes or deceived by the craftiness of people. You are going to live the truth, speak the truth, and advocate for the truth in everything you do because you are a stable, rooted person. You are confident because you have faith in the only living God in Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I live in your kingdom and have faith in you. Help me to also live in the world and help draw others closer to you. Amen.
Day 7
Scripture: Philippians 4:5-13
“You Will Not Quit”
Studies have shown that the fear of pain is worse than pain itself. But do not be afraid. That’s the greatest and most common command in the scriptures – don’t be afraid, don’t freak out, stop withdrawing.
Do you know what it means to withdraw? Many people, when they face heartache and difficulty, turn to the things that they’ve always turned to. For some, it’s eating, or substance abuse like drugs or alcohol, or shopping, or overworking. For some, it’s depression – just going into a room, closing the door, crawling into bed, checking out.
You are not going to withdraw anymore. You are not the kind of person that needs to. When you face heartache, trial, and suffering, acknowledge it and pray. That’s how we respond. That’s how dependable, stable believers respond to challenges.
If you say, “I’ve prayed,” keep praying! Never stop. Always pray. Always seek God. Never withdraw. When you face hardship, talk to someone about it, someone who will feel empathy, encourage you, and get on his or her knees with you and pray. Never withdraw. Always pray, rest, and trust.
God is faithful. You don’t have to worry. He’s given you the evidence you need to trust in him and depend on him in every aspect of your life. So today you can smile gently, relax, and trust in the faithfulness of a good God. Don’t quit. I know it’s hard, but allow your faith in God to help you finish well. You’ll be so glad you did.
Prayer: Dear Lord, whenever I feel pain, I will not be afraid. I will turn to you and pray, then rest, and always trust. Amen.