This is a long blog but worth sharing I think....We get so caught up sometimes in the bad things and forget all the blessings God has bestowed on us...EVERY where you think there are people hurting and discouraged. I just got home from CR tonight and I tell you no matter who you are we all have some type of hurt, habit or hang up that we are dealing with....if you are breathing today you have some thing that is troubling you, and until you deal with that issue God can't use you in the way that he needs you....

When We Feel Helpless
READ 2 Chronicles 20:1-4
Have you ever felt totally helpless? Can you remember facing a situation or emergency in which you were powerless? It’s a sobering experience for anyone. Even people who claim to be wholly dependent on God, still like to feel as if they have some control over their circumstances.Jehoshaphat faced a moment like that. In today’s verses, the good king was confronted with dangerous news. Three different armies had joined forces to destroy Israel. As he listened to the report, “a great multitude” of attackers were already on their way. What was the king’s response? Verse 3 tells us he was “afraid.” That makes perfect sense. He no doubt felt powerless. But, even in that moment of helplessness, he knew exactly what to do. Scripture doesn’t say, "Jehoshaphat was afraid and ran away” or “he was afraid but charged headlong into battle.” No, the Bible tells us that “Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord”. That was the perfect response to a helpless situation. The king knew this was not the time to give up, nor was it the time to take action motivated by fear. Instead, he did the only wise thing he could: he prayed. More than that, he called on others to pray. And suddenly, the entire situation changed, because God had been brought into a hopeless situation.When we feel helpless, the first word out of our mouth should be “Father.” From then on, helplessness isn’t an issue, because God will provide what we need.

Your Hope Journal
READ 2 Chronicles 20:5-12
Yesterday, we saw what King Jehoshaphat did in a seemingly hopeless situation. Today, let’s extract another principle from that story as we learn how to handle helplessness. In verses 5-12, Jehoshaphat is still focused on the Lord, which should also be our first response to fear. Yet notice what he does in this prayer. He is not looking forward, stating his fears of what might happen. Instead, he is remembering the past, recounting the times in Israel’s history when God brought them through similar “helpless” situations.How often has the Lord done a mighty work on your behalf when all seemed lost? He is actively involved in our lives today. Sadly, we frequently thank Him in the moment but then forget what He’s done for us. Later, when we are fearful again, it’s hard to remember how He has already proven Himself in our lives. This is why every believer should keep a journal, a written record of the Lord’s faithfulness. During times of helplessness, we want encouragement not just about how God has worked in history or in the world, but about how He’s worked in our own lives.It may take some time to establish the discipline of journaling, but the rewards are tremendous. You may say, “Well, I don’t have time for that.” Friend, you need to make the time. When you record blessings, you begin to view God’s work from a new perspective. You’ll start to see how He’s weaving the individual “threads” of your life to create a beautiful tapestry for His glory.