Never Alone: A Six-Day Study By Tiffany BluhmSample

In our last day of study, we come to a woman who was no stranger to difficulty and loss, yet her pain resulted not from sin but from her obedience to God’s call. She is a woman who trusted God with all her heart and surrendered her life to Him; a woman who gave up her reputation for a God-ordained life of sacrifice and love; a woman who fought fear with faith. Her name is Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Mary did not have an initial encounter with Jesus as the other women in our study did. In fact, as the mother of God’s Son, she had the longest and one of the most intimate relationships with Jesus possible.

The angel Gabriel called Mary “favored one” and said that the Lord was with her. Like any other human being, she probably struggled at times with anxious and fearful thoughts and fought the urge to sin. She was ordinary, with no special powers or pedigree to make her worthy of carrying God Incarnate in her womb. Mary was favored because God decided she would be the chosen one to birth the Messiah. Favor was, and is, given by God, not because of anything we do but simply because He has chosen us for His plans and purposes.

Yet, fear of failure and loneliness can keep us from embarking on the boldest God-sized dreams of our hearts. Fear paralyzes us, but courageous faith is found in the refuge of the Almighty. That kind of bravery enables our weary hearts and bodies to silence the accuser and father of lies, who looks to destroy us with our fears. We see God’s victory as we let Him handle our fears with His gifts of love and faith, making a way for us to face uncertainty and move forward with the rest of our story—which is meant to be a great adventure.

Friend, God wants to help you face your fears. No matter if you think you’re too young or too old, too inexperienced or too washed up, you can be sure the Lord has precious plans for your life. Like Mary, you can answer “yes” to the call of God, knowing that His plans are for your good and the good of others. They are an invitation to grow in intimacy with the Son as you walk in the fullness of God.  

  

To learn more about the Never Alone book or Bible study visit:

http://www.tiffanybluhm.com/books/