The disappointment has come - not because God desires to hurt you or make you miserable or to demoralize you or ruin your life or keep you from ever knowing happiness. He wants you to be perfect and complete in every aspect, lacking nothing. It's not the easy times that make you more like Jesus, but the hard times.

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You can be defeated by life's unavoidable disappointments, or you can become stronger because of them.

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Ultimately, the goal of personal Bible study is a transformed life and a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.

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God knows what each one of us is dealing with. He knows our pressures. He knows our conflicts. And He has made a provision for each and every one of them. That provision is Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit, indwelling us and empowering us to respond rightly.

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Love has its source in God, for love is the very essence of His being.

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God is in control and therefore in everything I can give thanks.

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When you know what God says, what He means, and how to put His truths into practice, you will be equipped for every circumstance of life.

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In any trial, in any bitter situation, you are not alone, you are not helpless, you are not a victim. You have a tree, a cross, shown to you by the Sovereign God of Calvary. Whatever the trial or temptation, it is not more than you can bear. It is bearable. It can be handled. You can know as Joseph knew, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

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Snuggle in God's arms. When you are hurting, when you feel lonely, left out. let Him cradle you, comfort you, reassure you of His all-sufficient power and love.

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If you are God's child, you are no longer bound to your past or to what you were. You're a new creature in Jesus Christ.

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