Posts Tagged ‘hard times’

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20 (NKJV)

Sometimes when I talk to women it seems like what I hear of their “Christian” worldview includes the following:

• “I should feel no pain.”
• “Everyone will be willing to participate in and support the ministries I love.”
• “People will pray for me when I am sick or having a problem –even if I don’t ask.
• “When I am in sin the church should not offend me by telling me what’s right.”
• “My children will be sinless.”
• “I know best where I should live, what church I should attend, what makes me happy, etc.”
• No one actually says these things but if you listen closely it’s revealing their core beliefs about God.

People often respond to the world as if we had created it and understood exactly what the next step should be without ever seeking God’s direction. We respond to other people as though we have totally forgotten that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)  There is no one living who does not have the potential to hurt us badly – why are we surprised when someone does? Shouldn’t we be more surprised by how often God’s grace protects us from such behaviors?

There are certain things that happen in this world that we may need to adjust to. A diagnosis we weren’t expecting, a job change requiring a move, a death, someone lies, steals, or deceives us.  What we believe about God and about life will determine how we respond to these hard realities of life.

Understanding that “God works all thing together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28) can change our perspective. Seeking His direction about how to respond and faithfully believing that He is good are the only paths to get past these difficult times and live with the peace and joy that the Christian is promised.

If we rebel against God’s plan, peace and joy will be far from us.

We do not like to think of our responses to these situations as righteous or sinful. “You cannot help how you feel.” While this is true, emotions come and go without our permission or invitation. But, we can channel them with the truth we know from God’s Word.

God is good. (Mark 10:18)                                                                                                                He is our refuge and strength. (Psalm 46:1)                                                                                          He will not leave us nor forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)                                                                 He wants us to be strong and courageous.(Deuteronomy 31:6)                                                      He is our ever present help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

God knows every set of circumstances we live in – He has put us there.  Our direction for handling them needs to come from Him. We must have His Holy Spirit in order to discern the appropriate response.

Do we have a worldview that pleases God and promotes righteous responses to life’s circumstances? The better we know the Word of God the better our worldview will be.

When we believe our life is falling apart, when hardships come, will we stop and seek the direction and teaching of the Lord?   He is a great God, a powerful Lord, and He has given us a Wise Counselor. There is no problem that He cannot handle, no power He can’t overcome, and no disappointment from people that He has not experienced and can sympathize with.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) Do we believe it?