Encouragement
During times of blessings and prosperity, we find it easy to praise and worship God. But when the times are tough, the blessings are scarce, or when conflicts plague our life, we find it rather difficult to be joyful and to praise God. The sadness and confusion at our suffering, or the adverse situations that surround us, overwhelm us like big waves in the sea of life.
The Book of Job tells us of a righteous man who suffered through no fault of his own. It was a case of bad things happening to a good man. When Job lost his children (Job 1:20-21) his response was WORSHIP. He said "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the Name of the Lord be praised." Job's response to suffering gave glory to God because he did not blame God nor was he bitter towards God. He even said in verse 19:26-27 "And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes... How my heart yearns within me!"
Yes it seems easy but it is hard. Adversity has a way of shaking our faith. Prolonged adversity or suffering makes us bitter and doubtful. Still, God knows our human frailty. He told us to focus on Him. Like Peter, we are in the storms of life and we need only to fix our eyes on Jesus - and we will "walk on water". Looking at the "waves of suffering" will make us sink, but Jesus has held out His hand to us, we have only to take it and hold on to Him through the duration of our storms. The Son of God Who walked on water can calm the fiercest storms any of us will face and with Him we can walk on water.
When facing trials, we need only to recall the things God has done for us in the past, and then we will remember Who He is in our life. I always have a list to remind me of how God has helped me in the past and Who He is - and I am refreshed:
1. THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
"This I recall to mind, therefore I have Hope. The Lord's loving kindness never cease, His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:21-23)
"Praise the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits - Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalm 103:2-5)
2. THE LOVE OF GOD " I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness. (Jeremiah 31: 3)
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:11)
3. THE GOODNESS OF GOD " I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all My heart and soul." (Jeremiah 32:40-41)
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 106:1)
4. THE PROMISES OF GOD
"The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made." (Psalm 145:13b) "My comfort in suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." Psalm 121:2)
"Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)
"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)
5. THE POWER OF GOD "But God made the earth by His Power; He founded the world by His Wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding." (Jeremiah 10:12)
" I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7) "
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He Who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (Isaiah 46:4)
"My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:2)
Finally in Isaiah 43:2-3 God confirms that He will always be with us, we are not to fear anything:
"Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I AM the LORD YOUR GOD, the HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, YOUR SAVIOR."
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