This week's devotion is entitled:
There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.
~Romans 5:3-4 (The Message)
This is a message that has been a huge revelation lately for me personally. When you have a good thing going between you and God, Satan is going to do whatever he can to come in between that and put a stop to it. Like my youth pastor says, God is a good God, but the devil is a bad devil. Satan does not want you to succeed in your walk with God, so he is going to put all sorts of obstacles in your way to keep you from getting what God has for you. Satan's going to do whatever he can to keep you from seeing the power God placed in you the day you were saved. My pastor always says that the best way to see if you are lining up with God's Word is to count how many problems you face. If you are still on fire for God and faced with many troubles, you're on the right track, because Satan is trying to throw you off. He knows that when believers realize how much power they have through the Holy Spirit, he's in trouble. The message is simple: Satan is going to try to make you fail in order to save his own butt.
So when you're overwhelmed with troubles, problems, and obstacles in your path, praise God! Not only is it a sign that you are going down the right path, and not only are your difficulties going to make you stronger when you come out of them, but praising God is the perfect way to get through any tough situation.