Trusting
God in Trying Timesrying Times
We are
all living in unprecedented times that this generation has not seen. All that
we hear now is of lockdown, testing positive etc.
In these times when work is affected, family life is affected, education is
affected – How will we put our trust in God? Many wonder is GOD really in
control? We are overfull with message
over social media about things around us.
It is in
these TRYING TIMES that we must trust God more. For some it is too hard. - For
some who have experienced a miracle in the last year God is great. Let us look
at a few people from the Bible who went through problems and let us learn from
them on how we can go through these times.
JOB
Job is
by far the most afflicted person in the Bible. We often hear of rags to riches
stories in the world. This is a story from Riches to rags and followed by a
portion of double blessing.
Job lost everything His family, His Money, His livestock His name. While he was
going through this hardship, when he questioned God Why -there comes to him
three well meaning friends. They told him
Eliphaz the Temanite represents the view that—Job is being punished for his
sins; "Who that was innocent ever perished?" (4:7).
Bildad
the Shuhite, says much the same. “See, God will not reject a blameless person
nor take the hand of evildoers” (Job 8:20).
Zophar
the Naamathite, repeats the refrain. “If iniquity is in your hand, put it far
away, do not let wickedness reside in your tents. Surely then you will lift up
your face without blemish; you will be secure, and will not fear.…Your life
will be brighter than the noonday” (Job 11:14-15, 17).
Finally,
a frustrated Job goes to God. We see him communicating to God and he accepts in
Job 42:3” I uttered what I did not understand – things too wonderful for me
which I did not know”
Job
accepts that some questions are too great to answer. Through a series of
questions that God asks Job, He is able to accept that God does not act the way
he always thought God would and should act.
The book
of Job is a revelation of Job’s experience and the answers within this
experience.
Job
teaches us that WE SHOULD SIMPLY TRUST GOD even when we do not understand the
circumstances.
T -TRUST GOD FOR
ALLTHE ANSWERS
DAVID
Another
person that we are going to look at is David. He is called the chosen one of
God. He too faced troubles. David grew
increasingly frustrated from his constant running and hiding, living in caves,
surviving on the food that his men could find or what others gave them. 1Samuel
Ch 18-30 shows us how long David had to be on the run from Saul.
Saul was
trying to chase him down but he was afraid because God was with David (1 Sam
18:12)
David behaved wisely because God was with him (1Sam 18:14) Even though he had
opportunities to kill Saul and become the kind he did not do so because his
heart was good.
Most of
the psalms we see David crying out to God Ps 142:1-2- I cry out to the Lord
with my voice; With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. I pour out my
complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.
Even though
David struggled mightily with his faith, he always concluded every psalm by
reiterating God is always faithful. He trusted God Completely.
Ps 142: 7 – You will deal bountifully with me
PS 141:10
Let the wicked fall while I escape safely.
Many of
the praises we see in the end of most Psalms were written in the middle of
adversity and calamity Although David did often declare his misery to God, He
always managed to end his words to God in praise and thanksgiving.
While we
face the present world, we should also learn to RELY on the promises of God. We
need to do it now more than ever before.
R -RELY on GOD for the ANSWERS
The Third
person we are going to see is MOSES.
Moses
also went through some troubled times. Infact he was in trouble right from his
birth. Later we know we ran away from the house of Pharaoh because he committed
murder. Then God appeared to him in the burning bush and gave him a mighty job
to do- “Bring out His chosen people from slavery to a promised land”. Moses replied
– Whom am I to go to Pharaoh?
From
there he went back to Egypt & brought the people out. It did not happen easily.
First, he had to deal with a stubborn Pharaoh who kept changing his mind and
his word each time the plagues stopped. Then he had to deal with about 6,00,000
men excluding, women, children and livestock. (Exodus 12:37)
Once the
people crossed the Red Sea, they started murmuring and grumbling first for food,
water - then chicken in today’s terminology – they were not satisfied with the
veg food that was supplied. All this took a heavy toll on Moses. He cried out
to God in Numb 11:11 Why have you afflicted me? Why have I not found favour
with you?
Moses
did not have a Bible like we do today to go back and refer to. He had to go
back to God both for advice and direction. He YEARNED for the comfort of GOD.
Today
when we face situations – DO we Yearn for God and his Wisdom?
Let us YEARN
for God.
Y -Yearn for GOD And his WiSdom
Let us
now look at a couple. Zechariah and Elizabeth.
The book
of Luke describes them as being very old and childless. They had a longing
which was unfulfilled. Yet they trusted God. They continued to serve God faithfully.
Zechariah could have stopped serving at the temple saying God is not answering
my prayers, then how can I intercede for the others. In fact, he was in the
temple ministering to God when an angel appeared to him and gave him the promise
of a son.
They
were faithful in all they did. Let us take inspiration from such stories in the
BIBLE of people who trusted God no matter what circumstances they were in.
I -INSPIRE yourself from the word of god
From an
old childless couple let us now shift our focus to three young adults. Gen Y in
todays terms
Shadrach, Meschah
and Abednego.
We have
all learnt this story from our grandparents even before we could read or write.
What was special in these three young adults?
They
were in captivity yet they trusted in God for all their needs. When asked to bow
down to the golden image – they refused. When threatened to be put in the fiery
furnace too they were bold enough to declare that the God whom they serve will save
them.
What courage? Where did they get it at this young age? They got it because they
experienced God providing for them even in captivity.
We need
to need to depend on God for all our needs.
Many of us go through situations which are not always in our control. We ask
God why me? Why now? And so on. We cannot see the full picture of our lives and
the dots don’t seem to be connecting at all.
I lost my job in 2017. After a few months of being jobless, I was offered a job
in a partner location but with a lower salary. Seemed ridiculous then but
circumstances forced me to accept it. But today when I look back it was God’s
perfect plan. This job gave me an opportunity to drop and pick up my younger
son from his classes and that helped me bond with him more. Also, in the year
2020 the company where I originally worked for had a massive layoff. I feel it was God’s master plan to get me off
in 2017. There are so many things I can
look back now and see the dots of my life being connected perfectly. Yet in each
of those circumstances it was not clear at all.
Our
needs will be met by God – we just have to trust him.
We are
all here for a specific purpose of God.
The old testament is full of promises.
We go through the Bible we see many times that even when God is angry with his
people for not obeying Him, they are punished, led captive etc but in all cases
he mentioned that there is a remanent people that is kept back. God Will definitely keep us also in His care
if we continue to put our trust in HIM.
N – Recognise that your Needs are met through gOD
Finally,
before I close the last thing that we need to follow is Being grateful to God
at all time.
The Book
of Psalms as mentioned earlier is so great and example. David is always
grateful to god even though he is going difficult times.
G give god the glory
always
I would
urge each of you to
T TRUST GOD FOR THE ANSWERS ALWAYS
R RELY ON GOD ALWAYS
Y YEARN FOR GOD and HIS WISDOM
I INSPIRE YOURSELF From HIS WORD.
N Recognise that all your NEEDS ARE MET BY GOD
G GIVE GOD THE GLORY ALWAYS
God Bless
You
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