More From Melanie Sue Fretz

January 28, 2023 by Melanie Sue Fretz (Pennsylvania, USA)
Melanie Sue Fretz’s mom with
Melanie’s favorite canine,
Wilson Leslie. Just two of the
countless blessings that bring
Melanie joy despite challenging
circumstances

Melanie’s cat, Willow, is another
blessing and brings smiles daily

When I was invited to be a guest blogger for The Upper Room, I had no idea what I could possibly write. I had written my devotion about focusing on the positive over a year ago, and the invitation to update readers on my faith journey came at a time in which I was struggling both at work and in my personal life.

My place of employment was under construction, and contractors had neglected to cover my workspace when they drilled through the brick beneath my windows, coating every inch of my room with pink dust. I found myself grumbling as I discarded items that couldn’t be cleaned, and I saw nothing but the negatives as I tried to clean up the mess!

I planned to recharge over the Christmas break, but many of my long-anticipated plans had to be put on hold due to a painful medical condition that became more and more complex with time-consuming doctor visits and medical tests. Instead of recharging, my energy was sapped with piled up stressors!

Initially, I thought I couldn’t possibly contribute anything worthy in a blog and tucked the invitation away in the back of my mind. A few days before the deadline, I reconsidered. I recalled my own feelings of connection to writers who have shared difficulties in their own lives and of feeling comforted in knowing that others struggle, have doubts and questions, and become overwhelmed. This is exactly why I needed to write. While bemoaning my struggles to my mom one afternoon, her sage advice was to reread my devotions and follow what they say. It sounded way too simple, but her reputation for optimism was well-known in the church and surrounding community, and her advice is always sound and based on scripture.

So with a sigh, I reread a devotion or two and reflected on the reasons I write. It is simple, really. I just want to share my own experiences with God’s grace in the hope of encouraging someone who might need to hear that message. So, while I need to dig a little deeper to remain positive just now, I remind myself of all of the times in the past that God has been faithful. God never promised a trouble-free life, but God did promise that we’d never be alone in our troubles.

When life seems suddenly to spin out of control, I’m reminded of how much I need God. And perhaps that is the point of our trials. To be reminded that we need God everyday! When things flow seamlessly along, I need to be intentional about my praise and gratitude. It’s easy to praise and sing in the good times, but it’s essential when things take a frightening turn. All of us are on a faith journey with twists and turns, and the hard times can make our reliance on God even stronger. So I look for the positive and lean hard on God, knowing that is exactly what God wants.


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About Daily Devotional

The Upper Room magazine's mission is to provide a practical way to listen to scripture, connect with believers around the world, and spend time with God each day.

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