“Fear not, for I have
redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through
the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not
overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the
flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of
Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1b-3 ESV).
I have to admit though that there are times when the
difficulties of life seem overwhelming and all-consuming. I realize anew that
God didn’t say we don’t have to go through the rivers or the fires, but that He
will be with us in the midst of them. God revealed His presence in the fiery
furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3). Jesus was in the boat with
the disciples when they thought they were going to die from the storm (Mark
4:35-41). After calming the wind and waves, His question to them was, “Why are
you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (v. 40). He could have kept them out
of the storm entirely, but instead used it to reveal His power. Later on God
sent an angel to the Apostle Paul to assure him that he and the crew would
survive the storm that would destroy the ship in which they sailed (Acts
27:23-24).
It would be nice if we could see God or receive an angelic
messenger when the storms of life arise. Unfortunately, God doesn’t generally
work that way. Trials can strengthen our faith if we cling to what we know from
Scripture to be true: God is present, He cares, and He will work all things for
our ultimate good and His glory.
I wonder what lessons He has in mind for our present trials (whatever
they may be)?
- Patiently enduring (Col. 1:11)
- Placing our hope in Him (Rom. 5:3-4)
- Relying on His strength in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9)
- Unceasing prayer (1 Thess. 5:16-18; Luke 18:1-8)
- Being sanctified (1 Thess. 5:23-24; Heb. 12:7)
- Boasting for God (2 Thess. 1:4-5)
- Comforting others in affliction (2 Cor. 1:3-4)
These and other Scriptural reminders should shape the way we
pray for ourselves and others. I shared with someone recently that it is a
little scary to pray, “Lord, do whatever it takes to save this person’s soul,” because
we don’t really want to see anyone suffer. It’s far easier to pray, “Deliver
this person from this difficulty,” but that may not be God’s plan. The question
is, do we trust God to do exactly what is needed and nothing more or less? If
He has the power to use every circumstance for His own good purposes, I want to
trust Him to do that even if it hurts. That’s easier said than done.
It would be helpful if we could see the future results of
the storm we’re in, but some trials may never make sense in this lifetime. One
day we will realize the “eternal weight of glory” that is the result of our
endurance (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Meanwhile we wait, trust, and hope.
“Wait for the Lord; be
strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).
© 2018 Dawn
Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from
pixabay.com.
