So you are in a battle. You do not have the option of closing your eyes and wishing all the badness to go away. You are a human being living on earth therefore you will encounter some very difficult days. But what will you do? How will you respond? For all who are in Jesus Christ there are some promises to be believed. There is a King behind whom you can fall in line. There is a Shepherd to whom you may run. He has said that He will take you through the valley. He does not send you through it – He walks with you into it and then out of it. He is with you. He is for you. He is near you right now. He wants you to trust Him another day. He asks you to live with some unanswered questions as you remain disciplined to rest in His clear promises. He is calling you to leave off making an idol out of your need for all things to make sense. He is leading you exactly where He wants to take you and in the exact manner in which you need to be taken there. He is too good for you to doubt. He has a perfect track record- but this is only believed by those who follow Him for the distance of the full track. He is not at all upset with you for struggling in the present situation but you must know that He is offering you a way out of continuing to struggle against Him while you are in it. So you are going to have to go in a little further. The time for relief may not be today or even tomorrow. You are being called to go in – to go into the place where few are willing to go. He’s taking you in there with the full intention of bringing you out of there. So, since you are going in and since you will be coming out, you have to determine the manner in which you will come out.
I have been led out of my troubles by Him while I followed kicking and screaming. He’s led me while grieving and groaning, sighing and moaning. Looking back, I am convinced that when I responded in these ways it primarily served to slow down the process and elongate the particular trouble entrusted to me. At other times, the Shepherd has found me to be a calm lamb, a submissive sheep that trusts His omniscient eye, His strong hand and His heart of sacrificial love for me. These are the times when I clearly sense that His leading me through the unknown is an entirely healthy event. I find value in the undesired dagger when I have my heart fixed on Him. No matter the time or the specific spate of trouble, I can kick & scream or I can yield and lean. He knows how to bring me through no matter which response I choose.
When we come to the conclusion that He truly loves us and that He is impeccably good in His will toward us, then we can be led through any dark thing while retaining our joy. So we are seeking to grow in our love for Him instead of growing in our ability to gain complete mastery over situations. You see, I don’t wish just to make it through trouble and pain anymore. That’s survival. I want to make it through with joy and confidence. That’s worship.
Thanks, Pastor. This is what He’s been teaching me lately.
Jesus said there will be Wars and Poverty,Troubles in this World till he returns
Christians need to keep their Eyes on Jesus till the End comes
Matt 24:12-14
…12″Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13″But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14″This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
…….And….that day may be coming closer than we think.