Life Be Lifing, But God Be Godding

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life's challenges, wondering where God is in the midst of your struggles? "Life be lifing, but God be Godding" isn't just a catchy phrase—it's a powerful truth that can transform how we navigate difficult seasons.

This heartfelt exploration unpacks what it means to acknowledge life's hardships while maintaining unwavering faith in God's unchanging character. Discover how the vicissitudes of life—from minor annoyances to major crises—can coexist with the steadfast knowledge that God remains sovereign, faithful, loving, and good through it all.

Drawing from compelling biblical examples like Daniel in the lion's den, the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, and Peter walking on water, we see how God shows up in seemingly impossible situations. When life appears uncertain, we can trust that God is masterfully orchestrating something beautiful, even when we can't see or feel it yet.

The message offers three practical approaches when life starts "lifing'": keep trusting God without trying to figure everything out yourself, keep seeking Him through prayer and Scripture even in tough seasons, and keep watching expectantly for His deliverance. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, all things work together for good for those who love God.

Don't get consumed with the what, how, or when—keep your focus on WHO holds your future. Take one step of faith at a time, knowing God is faithful. His Word will have the final say in your circumstances, and through Christ, the victory is already yours. Ready to experience the peace that comes from knowing that while life be lifing, God still be Godding? Listen now and be encouraged.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Free audio post production by Alphoniccom.
Welcome and thanks for tuningin to Real People, real Talk,
relevant conversations that takeyou from surviving to thriving.

(00:23):
This is the podcast that goesthere.
My name is Paul Calcoat and I'myour host.
Now let's talk.
Well, hello, thriver, andwelcome to Real People, real
Talk, the podcast ministry thatequips you to thrive spiritually

(00:44):
, relationally and mentally.
And today I just want toencourage you with something and
just share something the Lordhas laid on my heart, and I want
to break down a phrase that hasbeen introduced into the
vocabulary of the culture oftoday.
It's been around for a littlebit, but that phrase is life be
lifin, but God be God, stay withme.

(01:04):
Now it's actually two phrases,and here's the first phrase.
Let me break that down.
Life be lifin is all about this, basically saying that life
happens, there's ups, there'sdowns, there's the good, the bad
and the ugly.
This phrase refers to thevicissitudes of life, the

(01:26):
problems, the challenges and thepains that we encounter along
this journey that we call life,even the recurring mundane
annoyances of the day, maybe aflat tire or bumper-to-bumper
traffic or a minor storm thatknocks your power off.
The phrase life be life canalso refer to the more serious

(01:48):
trials and tribulations that wemay face, the tougher seasons of
life, such as the loss of a job, the death of a family member,
a diagnosis from a doctor, anissue in your relationships or
even an issue in your mentalhealth, or an issue in your
finances.
Your relationships, or even anissue in your mental health or
an issue in your finances.
Life can be hard, life can betough.

(02:15):
Life be lifin', but even thoughlife be lifin' and life may be
lifin' for you right now, pleaseknow that God is always God.
There's never a time where Godis not God.
There's never a place where Godis not God.
This phrase God be God andrefers to the fact that God is
consistently acting in such away that aligns with his
characteristics, which aresovereign.

(02:36):
God is sovereign, god isfaithful, god is loving, god is
wise and God is so good.
This expression that Godbegotten is used to convey trust
and faith in God's plan,acknowledging that the
circumstances may look bleak,but regardless of that, god

(02:57):
remains sovereign and active inour lives.
Lives God begotten is astatement, or more so, a
declaration, that reassures usthat God's divine presence is in
our lives.
Allow me to encourage you withsome scripture Lamentations 3,
verses 21 through 24.
But this I call to mind andtherefore I have hope the

(03:21):
steadfast love of the Lord neverceases.
His mercies never come to anend.
They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, says mysoul.
Therefore I will hope in him.
This verse reminds me, and itshould remind you, to keep hope

(03:42):
alive.
We serve an on time God.
It may not come when you wanthim, because his time is not
your time, but I guarantee youhe will be there right on time
and work it all out for yourgood and for his glory.
God has a way of showing up andshowing out and making things
right Life.

(04:03):
But God be God because hegraciously gives us new mercies
each and every morning.
The fact that you woke up today, god has given you new mercies
and he's worthy of the praisefor doing such a thing.
Psalms 46 one says God is ourrefuge and strength.

(04:25):
He is a very present help introuble.
You may be in some type oftrouble right now, but we serve
a God as omnipresent.
In other words, he's everywhere, at all times and he's with you
right where you are in thehospital bed.
He's there in the courtroom.
He's there going through acustody battle.
He's there in the midst of thethe brokenness of your marriage.

(04:48):
God is there in the debt andthe financial struggle.
God is there in the midst of abrokenness of your marriage.
God is there In the debt, inthe financial struggle.
God is there In the midst of adifficult season in your career.
God is there.
I remind of Daniel, who foundhimself in some deep trouble as
he found himself in a lion's den, but the lion of the tribe of
Judah, our great God, was rightthere as well and protected

(05:12):
Daniel.
I'm also reminded of the threeHebrew boys as they found
themselves in trouble, as theywas thrown into a fiery furnace.
But God is the all consumingfire and he was right there with
them, protecting them from thedangers of that fire.
And thirdly, I'm reminded ofPeter, who started out walking
on water as he saw the Lord.

(05:33):
Then he began to sink andnearly drown, but he called on
Jesus right there in his troubleand the Lord saved him.
I dare you to just call on theLord and watch him work it all
out, as the Bible tells us inRomans 8, 28,.
And we know that for those wholove God, all things work

(05:54):
together for good, but those whoare called according to his
purpose, even when life may seemuncertain, we can trust that
God is masterfully, wisely,strategically orchestrating
something beautiful in your life, even if you don't see it now,

(06:15):
you may don't even feel it now,but God is working it out.
God is working it out.
So, thinking about Daniel,thinking about three Hebrew boys
, thinking about Peter, if Godwas there for them, if God
showed up for them, if God wasguiding in their lives, surely
he can do the same for you, myfriend, because he changes, not

(06:38):
as the Bible declares.
He is the same yesterday, todayand forever.
We serve a miracle working God.
That's why it's imperative thatwe be in God's word, because
reading God's word, reading theBible, it would keep our faith
high.
It would keep our spirits highas we read about God's

(06:58):
faithfulness, as we read aboutGod's power demonstrated in the
lives of other believers.
So, when life starts lifing, Iwant to encourage you to do
these three things.
Number one keep trusting god.
Proverbs.
Chapter 3, verse 5 and 6, saysto trust in the lord with all

(07:18):
your heart.
Lean not to your ownunderstanding and in all your
ways acknowledge him and he willdirect your paths.
Hebrews 10, 35 says cast notaway, therefore, your, which has
great recompense of reward.
So keep the faith my brotherand keep the faith my sister.
Don't try to figure it all out,but trust God.

(07:41):
Yes, do what you can, but trustGod to do what you can't do.
Secondly, I want to encourageyou to keep seeking the Lord.
Lamentations 325 declares thatthe Lord is good to those who
wait for him and to the soul whoseeks him.
Please don't forget about God,please don't neglect him, even

(08:04):
in your tough seasons.
Keep praying, keep reading yourBible, keep going to church,
keep seeking him and spendingtime with him.
Amen, because he's the only onethat can make it all right.
So keep trusting God and keepseeking God and, lastly, keep
watching God.
We serve a God that never failsand never loses, so keep your

(08:29):
eyes on him and watch him workit out.
If God can show up for Mosesand split the Red Sea, then
surely he can show up for you.
If God can show up for Lazarusand raise him from the dead,
then surely God can show up foryou.
If God can show up for theusand raise him from the dead,
then surely God can show up foryou.
If God can show up for theshepherd boy David and help him
to defeat the giant warriorGoliath, then he can and he will

(08:53):
show up for you.
So keep watching God.
Exodus, chapter 13, verses 13and 14 says Moses answered.
The people said do not beafraid, stand firm and you will
see the deliverance that theLord will bring you.
Today.

(09:13):
The Egyptians you see, todayyou will never see again.
The Lord will fight for you.
You need only to be still.
Oh God's word is so good foryou.
You need only to be still.
Oh God's word is so good.
While we face challenges in thislife, we can still hold on to
the promise of eternity.
Romans 8, 18 says I considerthat our present sufferings are

(09:34):
now worth comparing with theglory that will be revealed in
us.
Our struggles are temporary,but our God is eternal.
Eternal, and this perspectiveshould help us to endure.
So, all in all, god is biggerthan that thing that you're
facing right now, and he'salready lining up solutions to
your problems, because, at theend of the day, you may not know

(09:58):
what your future holds, but youknow who holds your future.
And.
And so don't get so consumedwith the what, with the how,
with the when, but keep youreyes on the who, and that is God
, our faithful, loving and goodfather.
So be at peace, my brother, andbe at peace my sister.

(10:20):
And be at peace my sister.
Taking one day at a time, onestep of faith at a time, one act
of obedience at a time, god gotyou.
So, even in your darkestmoments, god's light can and
will shine through.
Once again, let me encourage youwith the characteristics of God
.
God is faithful, god ispowerful, god is sovereign, god

(10:44):
is good and he's going to workall things out for you to
receive that truth today, myfriend.
Receive it in your heart andreceive it in your spirit.
So I leave you with this God'sword is going to have the final
say.
First Corinthians, chapter 15,verses 57 and 58.
But thanks be to God, who givesus the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers andsisters, stand firm, let

(11:08):
nothing move.
You Always give yourself to thework of the Lord, because you
know that your labor is not invain.
God gives us the victory.
So life may be lifing, but Godstill be God.
The victory is yours today.