Have you ever experienced something difficult and wondered why it was happening? Perhaps you thought you had done something to deserve it or worried that God had somehow forgotten or abandoned you. Don't worry, you're not alone. It's hard to see the bigger picture when we're in the thick of it, and it's easier to assume the worst. Yet our God has promised to not only be with us wherever we go and whatever we face, He promised to use it for His glory and for our good. The best part is that His promises don't just end with us. They live on to the generations who will come behind us.

The word covenant may not mean much to most people these days. It can sound like an antiquated church word that lost its meaning over the years. The truth is that covenants play a pivotal role in Scripture and in our relationship with God. Simply put, when we do life God’s ways, we receive His blessings. The reason is because God chose covenants to be the way He shows His love, His plans, and His commitment to us, even if we fail. That’s what makes it so important. Without God’s commitment and God’s ways, we are left insecure in our relationship and our path through life.

The illustration of sowing and reaping is one of almost infinite parallels with life in Christ. Discipleship begins with God’s Word being the seed that is planted in our souls and bearing the fruit of salvation. The great news is that it doesn’t stop there. Being a disciple means that we are becoming more like the one we’re following. The problem is that we are incapable of doing that on our own. Our hearts are often hard and inhospitable to the upside down Kingdom of Jesus. How then can we be “successful” as disciples, becoming more like Jesus and doing the work He’s giving us to do? It may not be as complicated as we often think.