Yes, this world is filled with trials, troubles, and tribulations. And we are confronted by the challenges those trials, troubles, and tribulations can pose to our faith. In difficult times, we can question God’s love. Questions arise in our hearts. If God really loves me, why did He allow this to happen in my life?
Have you ever had those kinds of thoughts? Did those thoughts cause you to draw back from God? Being a pastor for 25+ years has taught me that we all experience heartache and heartbreak in this world. And sometimes, that heartache or heartbreak can be overwhelming and cause us question our faith in God.
When I am troubled, I can turn to God's word for comfort.
If you’re experiencing that kind of heartbreak right now, I want to bring you words of comfort. One of the things I’ve learned through personal experience is how much comfort God’s word can bring us. The Apostle Paul taught the Roman believers about that comfort writing, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Rom. 15:4, NKJV.
Wow! When I am troubled, I can turn to God’s word for comfort. And I have…time and time again. In the middle of my darkness, God’s word has been a shining light. I play His Word over and over again in my mind, listen to it on my phone, and read it often. As the prophet Jeremiah said, Your “words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jer. 15:16.
As I find comfort through God’s word, I draw nearer to God and God draws nearer to me. That feeling of God drawing near enables me to not only survive difficult times, but thrive in them. I become like that tree described in Psalm 1 that is planted by the living waters. And what do those waters bring? They bring life, abundant life.
Yes, you can have faith for difficult times by building a legacy of faith. Oftentimes, we don’t take stock of our faith. We can trust that our faith will be sufficient in those difficult times that we face. We mustn’t do that. No, we must continually make sure that our shields of faith are in great condition. Why is that? Because a time and day will come when you need your shield of faith. It may not be needed today or tomorrow, but it will be needed.
How do I know? We live in a fallen world ravaged by the effects of sin. Sin is a universal human condition. It’s the only condition that we all wrestle with, saved and unsaved alike. It doesn’t matter whether you’re black, white, Asian, or any other race, sin is the one condition we are all afflicted by. Sin is color blind; it’s blind to our sex; it’s blind to our age; it’s blind to our beliefs. Sin afflicts us; it’s the source of death in this world. And we must be reminded of that.
Faith is the only thing that offers salvation from sin and the effects of sin. Faith, let me be specific, faith in Christ alone brings us salvation. And faith in Christ alone will bring us comfort. Why is that? Simply put, only one person, Jesus Christ, has ever defeated death. That difference allows us to have faith and hope beyond death, for death no longer has the final word in our lives. The nail on the coffin isn’t the last nail. Rather, it’s the nail on the cross that’s our last nail, for those who believe.
That’s the comfort we can find when we turn to God in hard times, difficult times, and troubled time. We can know that the last nail on the cross defeats the last nail on the coffin. As the Apostle Paul so eloquently said while quoting the Old Testament, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Cor. 15:55, NLT.
If you are facing difficult times today, I want to encourage you to hold on to your faith. Yes, if your faith is in Christ and His resurrection, it can and will sustain you. Your faith in Christ is strong enough to overcome all hell, this world, and even death can throw against you. Your faith will sustain you in difficult times.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
For that reason, I encourage you to feed your faith in Christ. How?, you may ask. By drawing near to God through His word, thinking and meditating about what Christ did on the cross, and remembering the awesome fact that Christ is risen from the dead. He defeated Mankind’s mortal enemy — death. And it’s that victory that’s worth celebrating each and every day of the week.
Let’s have a resurrection party! Christ is risen! And as we approach His birth, let’s remember His life and the culmination of His life’s work — victory over death, hell, and the grave. He defeated an enemy we could not so we could enjoy the life God intended for us, every man, woman, and child, to live and under the covering of God’s protection where we have freedom from trials, troubles, and tribulations.
Yes, we can have faith for difficult times. Live under the shade of that protection today. It will sustain you through whatever you are facing right now. It can and will be a refuge and fortress for you, your life, and your family as move forward into the coming days filled with faith in Christ and His Word.
Posts
Comments
Post a Comment