Your trouble won’t last much longer…
I know you’ve probably heard this before, especially if you grew up in church or around churchy people, but it’s true, and I’ll prove it.
Do you still get surprised when an undesired thing happens in your life?
A lot of people have learned to embrace misfortune. They are the people who say “story of my life” or “it’s always something.” These people have unfortunately allowed themselves to be programmed to focus on what they see and feel. If you are one of these people, you should read this.
How Your Words Could Be Ruining Your Life
I’m not talking about that right now. What I mean is, do you ever think “why me?” when things happen? Or do you think “I deserve better than this”?
It’s common to feel like you’re not supposed to go through certain things. It’s also common to expect for things to go smoothly, and to feel a way when there’s a bump in the road. However, smooth sailing is not what God’s word prepares us for.
In fact, if you have these thoughts or have had these thoughts in the past, let God’s word remind you of this…
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”
In other words, we are guaranteed to go through a lot in this life, but God promises that He will deliver us from it all in due time. If that’s hard to believe, just take a moment to take inventory of your life. Whenever you were faced with adversity, did you come out of it at some point? I’d venture to say that you did, since you’re still here, and reading this. Notice that I didn’t ask what the outcome was. God doesn’t promise us that things will always go our way. But He does promise that He will be with us, and that He will deliver us out of our troubles.
In John chapter 16, Jesus told us that we will have tribulation in this world, but that we could be confident in Him because He has overcome the world.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
I don’t know how you feel, but that makes me feel excited, because I know that God’s word is true. I’ve lived enough life to know without a doubt that God always comes through. The rough times don’t feel good by any means, but I know that they will subside and that life will look up after a while.
I know we don’t want to go through hard times. And sometimes it feels like the hard times will never end. But I found that knowing God is with me and that at some point, He will put a stop to my trouble and vindicate me is very comforting.
Let me leave you with this last verse of scripture from 1 Peter 5:10.
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Suffering is part of the journey of walking with Christ. Suffering is part of life, but when we choose to live with Christ as our Savior, we can rest assured that there is something greater on the other side of suffering. When we aren’t covered by the Holy Spirit, there is no hope.
Aren’t you glad that God has promised to restore, strengthen, and establish us, after we’ve suffered a bit?
If you’re going through something right now, be encouraged. God is watching over you. He won’t let your situation overtake you. Keep holding on.
Keep praying.
Keep fasting.
Keep feeding on His word, and in time, your relief will come.
Here are a few ways you can hold onto your faith while facing adverse circumstances.
- Talk to God the whole way through. Yes, He already knows, but you demonstrate your faith and intentions when you choose to include God in your plans for moving forward. Cast your cares on Him, and allow God to do what He does in situations like this.
- Fast and pray. Some situations require fasting and prayer. You should stay as close to God as possible. Get in the word and study. Pray regularly, several times a day. Deny yourself and focus on seeking God during this time.
- Seek godly counsel. This is why it is important to have godly friends and mentors in your life. You will be able to talk to someone who understands what you're going through spiritually. Your Christ family will likely have some insights and wisdom that can help you through your situation the right way.
- Be prepared to accept God's will. Again, the outcomes of things we pray for aren't always what we envision. Put in your request and then turn it over to God. Say "not my will but thy will be done" and really mean it. Once you do that, you can rest your mind, and move on as much as possible, until you hear from God.
You may be afflicted, but you are still God’s anointed. Walk in confidence knowing this.
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