Luke 22:31-32 ICB<\/p>\n\n\n\n
[31] \u201cSatan has asked to test all of you as a farmer tests his wheat. Simon, Simon, [32] I have prayed that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This verse is so comforting yet so profound. Jesus doesn\u2019t say \u201cif you come back to me,\u201d but rather \u201cwhen you come back to me.\u201d He knew Simon would face trials and that his focus would waver, but Jesus also knew that Simon\u2019s story wouldn\u2019t end there. The devil had sought to shake Simon, to sift him like wheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I think about sifting, I picture my mum using a sieve to shake flour. She shakes it thoroughly, separating the fine flour from the lumps. It\u2019s such an intentional process, and in the same way, the devil\u2019s sifting in our lives can feel relentless. He shakes our jobs, our finances, our families, and even our faith, trying to leave us broken and hopeless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But look at Jesus\u2019 prayer: He doesn\u2019t pray for Simon to avoid the sifting. Instead, He prays that Simon\u2019s faith would not fail. Why? Because faith is what holds us together through the shaking. Faith is the anchor that keeps us steady when everything around us is falling apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus then gives Simon a powerful instruction: When you come back to me, strengthen your brothers. Jesus already knew that Simon would make it through the sifting. He already saw the restoration that Simon couldn\u2019t yet see for himself. And once Simon was restored, he was to use his experience to encourage and strengthen others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This passage resonates deeply with me. There have been times when life\u2019s challenges have shaken me to the core\u2014when finances were tight, relationships felt strained, or hope seemed distant. But even in those moments, my faith in God kept me standing. It wasn\u2019t always easy, but it was enough to see me through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you feel like life is sifting you right now\u2014maybe you\u2019ve lost your job, your children are out of school due to fees, or you\u2019re dealing with betrayal or loss\u2014know this: Jesus is interceding for you. He\u2019s praying that your faith will not fail. This season of shaking is not permanent. You will come out of it, and when you do, your testimony will be a source of strength for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hold tightly to your faith. Jesus has already declared your restoration. Believe Him when He says, \u201cWhen you come back to me.\u201d It\u2019s not a matter of if\u2014it\u2019s a matter of when. Let this promise encourage you today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have a blessed day! \ud83d\udda4<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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