Lord…Are You There ?
How much proof do you need?
Hard times come and go. Sometimes we feel as if we are handling everything ourselves and we feel overwhelmed and sometimes, sometimes we think God has left us. There is an old saying – If God seems far away...WHO moved?
God is never away from us. He knows exactly what we are going through now and what details brought us to this point. We can become trapped in an existence that keeps us from looking up or forward.
Do you need the water from the rock miracle (Exodus 17:5 & 6) to gain confidence in God?
Do you need to see the burning bush that never burns up before you feel secure? (Exodus 3:2)
God proved himself over and over again and had those events written down so that we could know his power. Do we really need to see a rod or staff turn into a snake and back again? Would turning water into wine or seeing a fig tree die over night prove more to you than having the knowledge of salvation? Perhaps there are times, maybe even now that you feel like a Thomas and will only be satisfied if we can see him, hold him and put our hands into his wounds. That is called desperate. God wants us to live above that and trust the unseen.
There are times when it doesn’t take much for us to doubt the promises of God, especially when we feel attacked on every side. Paul wrote to Timothy in II Corinthians to give him hope. Yes we will be dismayed and troubled, even persecuted but we are never forsaken.
To stay busy struggling under the weight of our circumstances hinders our hope for tomorrow, yet never depletes it, for our hope is in the Lord. We don’t have control over everything that comes into our lives but we do have a say in how we handle those things. We can choose to stay under our circumstances or struggle harder to rise above them and we do that through the word of God and our confidence in Christ who loves us.
The greater difference between believers and non believers in this world is the fact that we are not alone in our difficulties. This world slams us with problems and turmoil every day. Our homes, our jobs and relationships are ever needful of our attentions. Those in the world without Christ have a more difficult time in dealing with dilemmas because they have to rely, for the most part, on self.
If you are walking with Christ and trying times come, you can for sure draw comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit is right there with you, in you, to see you through. Here is the tough part – it would seem as if trouble is always knocking at our door. The reason for that of course, is because of our desire to please Christ in all things. No doubt about it, we become weary and worn out. Just as God promised Joshua that he would never leave him or forsake him, he promises us the same. We are also instructed in His word to seek out other believers for encouragement and edification as we in turn will be called on to up hold others.
Are you somewhere in the mix? Struggle is part of living – how are you doing?
Hardships come and go; are you coming or going?
When God promised us joy and peace…His Peace (Philippians 4:7), do you think he used that as a selling point for faith? It’s is His promise to us – claim it.
Like you, I have had my seasons of battle – perhaps, like me, you have doubted God’s place and will, in and for my life; and like so many others in this world you may find it hard to rest in the promises of His word.
If when you became a Christian, someone promised you that you no longer would have any worries or trials, you were lied to. The Bible does not teach that, in fact gives word of warning in the opposite direction…we will have persecution.
Don’t hide. Don’t cower under the weight of turmoil. Listen to what Jesus says – “In the world you will have tribulation (trouble): but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)
The Apostle Paul warned Timothy both of trials to come and confirmed that he had been delivered from his own tribulation. In II Timothy 3:10, 11 and 12 it is very clear. “You however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, suffering…what kinds of things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”
Did you just swallow hard? It is true, being a born again follower of Christ means turmoil along the way. Remember though that He also offers peace and love, joy and contentment; it’s where you place your faith that counts.
Earlier in II Timothy 2:3, Paul encourages Timothy to be “a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Soldiers go into battle. There is a purpose and a goal. As soldiers of Christ we are in an ongoing battle, yet looking at II Corinthians 4:8-11; 16 we are encouraged not to lose heart. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.”
Those that walked with the Lord, those, like Paul, who followed afterward, those of us living in this confused world now and those that come tomorrow have that promise, for we will see trials and heartache. We will feel burned out and sometimes alone. We will struggle to keep our testimony pure and we will battle the wiles of the devil…but God is there, never taking His eyes off of us.
Let me challenge you to see your life as a privilege, even in troubling times, to fulfill the desires of God; to see his Son magnified. Let His life be seen in our mortal bodies.
It is no easy task to live with a joyful spirit while we are in the midst of pain, yet I’ve seen it lived out in front of me. That trusting walk with the Lord not only inspired me as a believer but pointed others toward Christ.
God has already prepared us and is preparing us for our individual roles and encourages us to be steadfast. Through God and his word we have reason to trust; we have his truth, love, joy and peace but he never said it would be easy.
After all, if it were easy, we wouldn’t need him.
Look up II Corinthians 4:17, 18 and fill in the blanks. I have used the NIV.
“For our _____ and _________ troubles are achieving for us an _______ glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is ______. For what is seen is _________, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The Lord is ever present and available…and he’s listening for you to share your cares with him.
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