Blessed Assurance
Life gets tough and honestly regardless of if you have a relationship with God or you’re trying to cultivate it better or you don’t even know him…this is for you!
I’ve been doing a “resting” study in Isaiah 43 - I say resting study because every time I get into reading, I feel the need to rest in the assurance of the words in this chapter. This chapter starts with these words in the first few verses - “Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
Assurance 1: We are loved by Him even on the darkest day
This is the declaration of his redemptive love for us. One that meets you exactly where you are before you even accept him. He knows the very core of our beings and he wants us to see that we have a home in him. We are His.
Verse 2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
This verse honestly hits me the most. How often do you hear people say “If God is so good why did he let this happen?” even you, how many times do you ask God “Why am I going through this?” In our time of turmoil and great adversity, it’s so hard to forget the faithful promises of God and this verse gives us all the peace we need in times like that. This verse speaks the same message as 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 - “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Assurance 2: He will never leave us - Even in the deepest valley of adversity
God’s assurance to us as his children is that we will never be overtaken by the troubles we face. He knows that waves will come and there will be seasons where all hope seems lost. And this scripture is the confidence we get to walk in - because of who we are in him. We need to allow this to marinate in our hearts; that though our outward circumstances may be tough he is walking right beside us the whole way. In the same way, God showed up in the fire (Daniel 3:24-26), he will always be with us in the midst of every challenge. Our testimony will always be greater than the chaos that the devil thought would overtake us.
And the sweetest of them all, verse 4 - “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.”
God would do anything for us. How wonderful is it to know that the God who created the heavens and the earth regards us with great respect and sees us as valuable even when we don’t deserve it? So much that he would destroy nations to redeem the ones he loves. A promise of his favor upon our lives.
Assurance 3: His love for us is unchanging
We are more loved by God than we could possibly imagine. His love for us has no bounds. We are his; sons and daughters created with great intention, formed in his image all for his glory.
God’s glory is the “perfect harmony of all his attributes into one infinitely beautiful and personal being.” So when the scripture says we are created for his glory this means that in everything we do and say, the work of our hands, our great achievements, and the way we live would point to the grace, mercy, and Lordship of God, who truly is the one working in our lives. Revealing to those around us that it is simply by his grace that we are where we are.
God loves us. He loved us before we ever even looked his way and his love for us is everlasting. That is why he assures us of these things all through his word. He wants us to know his character; his desire to prosper us and lead us down into a life that would be so fruitful and satisfying because that is his desire for us. He created us with greatness in mind - each of us with a specific purpose, identity, and unique qualities.
“Assurance is confidence in a guaranteed fact. God wants us to be sure, and He has given us Scriptures telling us with absolute certainty that we can know we have eternal life through Jesus Christ. - Charlie Riggs
I speak on this from the place of someone who has tasted and seen his goodness over and over again. You may be in a place that is desperate to see a breakthrough from him or you may simply just need a reminder of what he says he’ll do. Keep these scriptures bookmarked for when you’re tempted to magnify the hardship around you and forget his promises. My prayer is that you would find rest and comfort in the promises of God’s word. That you would take a step in faith and trust Him. That he would restore your hope and strengthen your faith.
Here is a prayer you can pray:
“God I thank you that you love me so much. I may not understand why certain things are happening but I pray that you give me peace in the middle of it. I ask for the strength to trust you and rest in your blessed assurance. Open up my heart to accept your love. In Jesus’ name, amen!”
