Troubles, trials, and heartache come and go in our lives. Some can be our own fault, some can be the fault of others, and still some trouble comes our way because God is disciplining or chastising us. And then again, some troubles are really imaginary; they are only in the mind. This reminds me of a French philosopher who made the statement, "My life is full of catastrophies, most of which never happened."
But for troubles and trials that are all too real and painful, what can we do? One of the things I learned from Dr. Charles Stanley is that we should look at everything as coming from God. He can use our afflictions to draw us to Him and to correct us and set us on the right path. Following is a quote by E.M. Bounds: " Trouble is God's servant, doing His will unless He is defeated in the execution of that will. Trouble is under the control of Almighty God, and is one of His most efficient agents in fulfilling His purposes and in perfecting His saints. God's hand is in every trouble which breaks into the lives of men. Not that He directly and arbitrarily orders every unpleasant experience of life. Not that He is personally responsible for every painful and afflicting thing which comes into the lives of His people. But no trouble is ever turned loose in this world and comes into the life of saint or sinner, but comes with divine permission, and is allowed to exist and do its painful work with God's hand in it or on it, carrying out His gracious designs of redemption. All things are under divine control."
All that being true, the best course of action to take when troubles and afflictions arise is to turn to the Lord in prayer. "And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." - Psalm 50:15 . Prayer is the best and the most helpful thing to do in times of trouble. Ask the good Lord what He wants you to do; ask for guidance. Sometimes the answer is to just "wait on the Lord." Psalm 27:14 tells us, "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." That verse has helped me tremendously to cope in times of distress and trouble.
Following is a 5 minute sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley titled, "Focus on God, not your problems".
Sometimes in an emergency we might feel like we need an answer immediately, never mind waiting on God. This is where faith comes in. Trust and faith. You still need to get on your knees and pray with all your heart and pour everything out to the good Lord. It is possible to receive an answer right away from Him. If not, you may need to consult a pastor or a mature Christian for advice. Better yet, have that person pray for you as well. In my experience, however, the Lord always points the way. But in an emergency situation, other people can be a great help.
Ultimately, it is Yahweh to whom we should look for guidance and comfort. No one can do what He can do. He will send His Holy Spirit to help you cope and find your way in the midst of turmoil or just plain old troubles. All of this may be things you already know, but we all need reminders from time to time.
"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." - Job 14:1
"And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" - Luke 18:1
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." - Romans 8:26
This song by Selah, "You Raise Me Up", seems to be a fitting way to end this post. It is uplifting and encouraging, and quite beautiful. When you pray, God raises you up and gives you hope.
Keep looking up ! Have a wonderful weekend !
