The Bible teaches that we will experience trouble in our lives whether we are Christians or not. Someone has put it, The rain falls on the just and unjust alike, and it is fact. The Bible states that our days in this world are short and full of trouble. In James it has much to say about enduring the tribulations of life. It actually states that we should be happy when tribulations come our way, as it is for our own good. It is tough to abide by that one; I can assure you of that.
I was telling a friend of mine the other day that I truly believe and trust in the Lord with all of my heart and adhere strongly to the belief that good things happen to those who love the Lord. As a result I seldom worry about anything; however I know that trouble and even tragedy will visit me. When I see it coming, I do not worry about it, but I do dread going through it, and believe me, I have seen my share of tragedy and deep dark valleys. We all see dark days and when we do, there are few who do not reach out to God for help. (Someone once said that there are no atheists in foxholes.) We have a tendency to ignore God sometimes and there is nothing like a deep valley to remind us that we cannot make it alone.
Life is like a roller coaster with ups and downs. We are either on a peak or heading into a valley. The valley may be deep and the valley may be wide, but eventually we will emerge and attain the peak, and then the process will repeat itself. When in the valley we should be of good cheer as God is reaching out to us and drawing close to us and when we have big problems, we will almost all turn to God to help us weather the storm.
Going through a valley? Get your Bible out and dust it off. Find some time to pray about it today and maybe share your troubles with a fellow Christian that they might pray for you too. Are you on a peak? Get your Bible out and dust it off. Find some time to pray about it today and maybe spend some time praying for others who are not as fortunate today. Most of all, keep the faith. God has not forsaken you because you are experiencing trouble; He is the One who can get you through it. When He does and once again you are perched high on a peak, be sure to thank Him. If you do not, you might find a valley coming your way quicker than it otherwise would visit you . . .
James 1:2
My brethren, count it all joy
when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your
faith produces patience.
October 19, 2015 – Click here to listen