Have you ever had multiple troubles happen to you all at once? Recently, we lost a large investment & a storm came knocking off part of our house also causing damage to the roof. One of our vehicles was damaged from the hail storm so we went to get estimates. While we were dealing with this, we found out our tires are worn out and they need replacing. We have sold everything we can think of to take care of things. Cutting out extras & even getting rid of our family pets. Debt is not something we want anymore of, so we don’t want to use more debt to fix things. Add to that the usually relationship struggles in life. I am sure you could tell a story or 2 as well. Life can be very trying at times.
In times like these, I find comfort in God and His Word.
2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair."
Remember the Enemy wants to steal peace in our life and rob us of our faith. John 10:10 “The thief's (or Enemies) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (or Jesus’) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Jesus came to satisfy in ways that the world can’t. John 14:27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.”
The Lord can see around the corner but we can’t. God has plans for good. Do we know God well enough through His Word to know His character? Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
He can send a storm to help us avoid harder circumstance ahead. Hardship can sometimes be better than success because we can learn so much during adversity. This can give us first hand knowledge and wisdom we might not have understood without the hardship. God can allow havoc for many reasons; sometimes it’s to show our need for Him so we don’t depend on ourselves, but His power.
Deuteronomy 8:16b, 17-18a “He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.' Remember the LORD your God. He is the One who gives you power to be successful…”
Pray for God’s help during distress. God can see the sincerity of our heart. David cried out for God in Psalm 143 and was loosing hope, paralyzed in fear. But he recalled how God had helped in the past and praised God for His ways. David trusted God and asked the Lord to guide him as he gave himself to the Lord. He asked God to rescue him and teach him God’s will for a firm footing. He thought about God’s unfailing love and found peace and confidence once again.
Where do we go for strength and confidence in hard times? Look up Ephesians 6:10-18 and learn about putting on the full armor of God for protection against the Enemy.
And when this trial is over, tell others of God’s goodness. Each trial will help equip us more and more with faith for the next battle.
Mark 5:19 “But Jesus said, "Go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been."
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
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