It’s easy to say that you will serve God with everything when the bonus is in hand. It’s easy when all the kids are healthy and sleeping through the night. It’s easy when there is no repairs to be made and you are sipping sweet tea from a hammock during vacation time at the beach.

Is it still easy when you are in fear of losing your job? Is it still easy to serve when kids are in the hospital? Is it still easy when you borrowed money to make a repair on the house that the bank is about to foreclose on? Is it still easy to trust after a relationship leaves you broken? These are some of the “common” stresses, so feel free to fill in the blank!

God never said it would always be easy. He promised He would never leave us or forsake us, but it’s up to us to keep our focus on Him through the good…and the tough times.

These past three days I have been sick. I mean, sick-sick. My body has been fighting a twisted cocktail of Texas pollen and a severe cold. I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a baby with sickness. I don’t get sick often but when I do it jacks me up! Add that my wife is sick as well. Our five year has been sick alongside me. Our two CF’ers came home today with runny noses and breathing heavy while sleeping. Health wise…this week has been tough for the Bridges. Not a great start for 2020!

In typing that I’ve had a song on repeat in my bedroom for three days (With Everything by Hillsong United). Please click on the link to listen. During every nap I had it playing beside my pillow. It opens with a prayer like anthem:

So let hope rise,

And darkness tremble

In Your holy light,

And every eye will see

Jesus, our God,

Great and mighty to be praised.

God of all days,

Glorious in all of Your ways.

Your majesty, the wonder and grace,

In the light of Your name.

With everything,

With everything,

We will shout for your glory.

I love this song. As I face another morning in a couple of hours with a sick child and my own cough…I’m still going to serve God. With everything! When I call the clinic tomorrow to setup an appointment to have our CF’ers checked with the looming possibility of admittance in the background….I’m still going to serve God.

Like the song says, let hope rise! God is God when life is easy and when it’s not. He is still there to hold our hand regardless of the season we are walking through. Because of that, with everything I will shout for His glory!

Know that you are not alone. This also means you are not defeated. Temporary setback, sure but not defeated! So whatever it is that is knocking at your faith’s front door, don’t let it in! Let’s shout for His glory and drown out the knocking!