Some face tremendous trials and tribulations throughout their lives and others seem to have it fairly easy for a while, but sooner or later we all face adversity. I don’t know why God designed life to consist of valleys and peaks; I quit asking. These days I just focus on getting through the dark valleys and on to the next sunny peak.
My kids make fun of me because I pre-record football games. If the team I love wins, I watch the prerecorded game; otherwise I delete it unwatched, and spare myself the angst of watching my team perform poorly and go down in flames. When I watch a game that I already know has a good outcome, and at some point the game appears to be going poorly, I don’t get all worked up, even if it gets really ugly. I rest easy knowing that eventually my team will prevail. To me it is a much more enjoyable way to watch a game.
In similar fashion, as a Christian who has read and studied the Bible I know that in time things are going to turn out just fine. Verses like Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them . . . ”confirm it. If we follow the logic above we shouldn’t worry, but almost everyone worries which accomplishes nothing positive.
As for me, I don’t worry. I have faith that God will get me through the tough times and I have seen some very tough times. This is not to say that I enjoy trials and tribulations. I don’t! The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:6 – So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
Yep that is a hard one to adhere to I tell you. I compare this to hitting my thumb with a hammer. Logically I know that it will eventually quit hurting, but when I hit it, it hurts! If I have a friend yapping away telling me not to worry everything is going to be just dandy while I’m still jumping around yowling in pain it just seems to exacerbate the situation and I want to hit them with the hammer. Sometimes it’s better just to allow someone time to cry. On the other hand if I slam it hard enough, I just might need a ride to the hospital and a doctor to put it in a cast or splint.
We want to help those who are going through trials and it takes some discernment to do so. Sometimes we can help them the most by allowing them time to grieve and spend time with the Lord. Other times, especially if they are not that close to the Lord or don’t even know Him, we need to offer encouragement and reassurance and let them know that the Lord wants them to draw close during their time of trouble in order for Him to comfort them.
So often folks reject God, blame Him for all of their problems, and develop bitterness towards Him and all of His creation. They turn to drugs, alcohol, sex outside of marriage, overeating, and other satanic traps in their quest for relief. As one might imagine those activities just make things worse.
This weekend at Honey Lake Church we have a guest speaker who will give her testimony. I consider it to be the best testimony that I’ve ever heard. Her life has been the equivalent to a modern day Job, including being molested as a youngster, kidnapped, raped, cut up with a box cutter, and left for dead while in college, betrayed by a husband and her best friend and deserted with two small kids, experienced tragic deaths in her family, and much more.
She did not turn to drugs, alcohol, bitterness towards God and she doesn’t sit on a couch in a catatonic state crying poor little old me, (though no one would fault her if she did). She turned to Jesus and shares her testimony to others who are suffering through this oftentimes difficult life at every opportunity.
If you or someone you know is going through trials, (or even if you’re sitting on a peak awaiting descent into your next valley), I urge you to attend this service. Her name is Jenn Harris and she is beautiful and a talented Nashville singer/songwriter who now lives in Texas.
The past few days I’ve talked about how the Bible teaches that the members of Christ’s church should help others and that we need to witness to them. Well this is a great opportunity for you to do both. We all know people who are suffering from something. Bless them by inviting them to attend church with you this Sunday. They will leave knowing that if Jenn can overcome the massive problems that she’s faced in her life by following Jesus, then so can they/you. Services start at 11:00.
1 Peter 5:10
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
January 7, 2015 – Click here to listen