Are you feeling remorse over some mistake you made? Rather than allowing those “rocks” of frustration to beat you down, turn to Jesus and hold on to His promises of forgiveness. He’ll help you discover positive lessons from that mistake.

Is your mind caught up in worries or fears for a loved one or about events that threaten to disrupt your life? As soon as you recognize this, look up and thank Jesus for the trove of positive and heavenly things you have that you can dwell on. Remind yourself that He has promised to ultimately bring good, even from what is wrong or terrible in the present. Let Jesus help you crush those “rocks” beneath your feet with the truth of His love and His promises, until your path becomes smoother and clearer.

If you’re being pummeled by the “rocks” of condemnation as your failure to live up to the ideal begins to deluge you, don’t give up hope. Don’t condemn yourself, don’t get mad at yourself, and don’t even bother trying to figure out ways to dodge these “rocks” by trying to excuse yourself. Just look up to Jesus and say: “What can I say, Jesus? I love You and You love me just as I am. I’ll keep the good lessons that I gain from my struggles and stumbles, but I won’t keep any condemnation, because I know there’s no condemnation in You.”

Or when troubles or suffering or loss seem to be coming at you from every angle and you can’t see anywhere to hide, run into His presence and hold on to Him. He’ll be there, shielding you from destruction, and will never let you go. You aren’t strong enough to face these things on your own, but Jesus can bring you through even the most traumatic, terrifying events imaginable, and the darkest times. He’ll walk with you right on through to the victories that He has sworn to bring out of every seeming defeat.

As you take a stand at His side, the rocks will smash at your feet. Smash! Crash! They’ll shatter into a million pieces. Your path just got more solid.

As you keep walking close to Jesus, your path will grow more and more stable and well lit with His love, until that perfect day when we’ll fly off together to a place where the cares of this earth life will never be able to bother you again. In the meantime, when the doubts and struggles of this life come back and try to hit you from some new angle, remember the lesson of looking up and giving the battle to Jesus.

All things, absolutely all things, will work together for your good in the end. Sometimes it will take all the effort you can muster to not get down and discouraged at those things that make up your personal struggles as you pass through life. Many things can be disheartening, painful, humiliating, or sad. But if you look to Jesus, you will experience all the good of His love for you and your love for Him.

We have a wonderful future together, and you will carry on with great joy through all eternity! And someday you’ll look back and notice that that gravel road we walked together has been paved with gold!

So when you feel down, stop and take stock of the good and the blessings that have filled your life. And what about the things you wish hadn’t come into your life? Trust that in God’s time and way you’ll see how even these have come to work together for good. Anticipating all the potential and promises that lie before you, continue on your path with joy.

As you step into each new day, give what you can, praise with all your heart, fight the good fight of faith, and trust in God’s loving arms to be your shelter, your support, and your greatest joy.

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.