I believe, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24). Ever been there? This is just what we so often feel when life throws trials our way.
My wife and I faced a long series of major health and family challenges starting in 2011. There were times when trusting the Lord was not easy, but I found that having regular times of personal communion helped me a lot. During those intimate times I wrote out what the Lord said to me. (His words are in blue).
“Communion is all about focusing on Me and learning trust. When you take the bread, My body given for you, you have a connection and a gateway into seeing what trust really is all about. You are growing in trust, you are seeing just how trustworthy I am. The peace you have is because you have placed your worries and fears in My hands and are believing that I can carry them.”
“When I was praying in the garden the night before My death, I was in deep anguish, great pain and concern because I knew what was coming. I knew that the very next day I would face excruciating pain, both physically and emotionally. I knew I was going to die a painful death. I knew that My pain would be even worse because, for the first time, I would be separated from My father, forsaken as I would become the sacrifice for all mankind for all time.
The pain was covering and filling My prayers; the anguish was indescribable. Yet I knew My father. I knew His love and His plan and His ways. So in all My pain, I trusted him. I trusted that he was God, in charge of all, and over everything I was facing. It was My complete trust that carried Me. It was My sure knowledge that although I had never experienced what was set before Me, I could do it because He is My Father and He loves Me.
My trust was based on our relationship. Each moment that I continued on My journey to the cross, each step that I survived increased My trust. My faith grew step by step. Though My strength weakened, My faith and trust increased. Finally, when I gave up My life, I knew it was time and I had complete trust in the blessed outcome that would result.
My trust got Me through the garden prayers, through the scourging, the humiliation, the pain, the despair, and through death. My trust was My strength and My strength was in My ever-loving Father who was the answer in all ways.”
“You see this in the bread of communion. Eat always remembering My life, My death, and My resurrection as the markers for your life. Trust as I trusted, believe as I believed. Take communion in hope of what I prepared for you. This truth is sealed by the cup of the covenant. I shed My blood for this eternal covenant. In believing you receive, in trusting you live!”
Personal communion is a wonderful way to draw near to Jesus. The communion elements are like a lens that focuses our thoughts on who He is, what He has done and How much He loves us. I encourage you to set aside time to have communion with the Lord. As you partake, quiet your mind, focus on Him and write down the thoughts that He shares with you! I know that if you regularly take the time to do this you will be blessed. You will see your loving Lord in new ways.
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Yes, trusting is hard at times but the reward is blessins abound! Our Lord is beyond awesome!
The Lord has been speaking similar things to me as well. He has been teaching to me that it is through adversity that I grow closer to Him, learning to trust and love. Instead of my adversity being all about me, it is an opportunity to see the Lord’s strength in my weakness and helping me understand that He is here always for me. And yet it is when I am well and prosperous that I think I need him less, yet he is telling me I need him more all the time. He reminded me of Job’s response to his wife at the beginning of his affliction. Job 2:10 says, “He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” All this to say that looking at adversity as a personal attack and treating it selfishly is not the way God created adversity. He allows it so that we would recognize him and see him clearer in our walk with him.
Thank you Michael for your wonderful, powerful, encouraging and uplifting report. May God continue to bless you, your work and your great faithfulness. The Lord has been speaking to me about faith, trust and obedience. This will help me pray and work for more faith, trust and faithfulness to God!
Thank you for your insights. I too find the communion experience to be a time of gratitude for His sacrifice so that I can continually grow closer to Him and trust that He is my sheperd and has my back through all the trials I walk through in this life. He is my treasure and without His demostration of love, I would never have made it this far. Communion is my alone time with Him, prayer is the result of that time. No communion with Jesus means meager and weak prayers for others and myself. No communion, no power. No one wants that!
Hi Sharon, you definitely see the power of personal communion. Keep it up!
Thank you, Michael, for sharing your communications with God. It’s inspiring to hear how God works through you and Norma.
Wonderful post! Personal communion is not something you hear much about in church. So thank you for writing about it and encouraging us to seek the Lord in this way.
Hi Joel, I’m glad you see the importance and power of personal communion.