“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?
And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

                                                      -Mark 4:37-40

For someone who writes as much as I do, if I’m going to be honest I must admit that it doesn’t come easily to me at all. Sometimes I can sit down at this desk and pour my heart out to you guys in a matter of only 30 minutes or so, while there’s other times – like this one – when God lays something so heavily on my heart that I just can’t find any words to express it. I don’t know why, but I feel more so than ever before that this post is meant for somebody who really needs to be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

With more than 300 followers, I think it’s safe to assume there’s at least a few of you going through the worst moments of your life. Some of you just lost your best friend to death, or your parent to divorce. Maybe faith has been close to your heart, and yet peace far from your mind as you wonder if that loved one will ever be saved, that prayer ever answered, or that need ever met. The promises of God are there for you in big, red letters, but perhaps it seems more as if they are mere words on a page than something written to bring you the individual blessing you so desperately need.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

                                                  -Philippians 4:13

Wherever you are in life, know that it’s the same Jesus Who walked on water that offers His everlasting presence and protection to you today. It’s the very same Lord Who turned water into wine that can turn your curse into a blessing (Deuteronomy 23:5), and the One who raised Lazarus from the grave longs to resurrect the shattered pieces of your broken heart (Psalm 34:18). His grace is sufficient to supply all your needs, and it is only through our own weakness that His strength is made perfect (Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

A few days ago we studied the rebuilding of the Temple as told by Ezra. We saw that, even though God’s timeframe is usually very different than our own, He is always faithful to finish what He begins and will not forget the plans He’s made for us (Philippians 1:6; Jeremiah 29:11). Yet in spite of the fact that God often tosses our own agenda to the side and forces us to wait upon Him, I believe it’s important for us to realize that the Lord still has a work for us to do today that’s far more important than any plans we’ve made for ourselves. Even if it means doing nothing more than simply worshipping Him, it is our Lord’s desire that we “redeem the time” He’s given us and utilize it for His glory (Ephesians 5:16).

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”

                                                     -Psalm 40:1

Romans 8:28 reminds us that, if you a Christian, God will ensure that all things work together for your ultimate benefit. This doesn’t mean everything we go through in life will be easy or even enjoyable, but that, in the end, God can and will use it for His glory and our betterment. What we so often struggle with is realizing that, even during the times when He seems so distant and our hopes so uncertain, the Lord still has a plan for us that’s already been set in motion. Just because we seem to be at a standstill doesn’t mean that God is; He is always working, and will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Perhaps life has found you in the same place it found the Israelites some 2,600 years ago. You look around and see nothing but unfinished temples and incomplete promises, all the while wondering what on earth it is you’re supposed to be doing while you wait. If this is you, here’s a simple suggestion : “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:5)  He’s up to something bigger than you are.

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

               -II Corinthians 1:4

Over the past several months, this has become one of my absolute favorite passages of Scripture. I quote it to myself when I’m going through a trial, to others I know who might be experiencing hardship, and even to those who simply have  friends that are discouraged. Though it’s not a verse you’ll find printed on many T-shirts, it does answer possibly the most common question among Christian’s today: why does God allow His people to suffer? While the trials we face do have a purpose in our own life, it’s just as Biblical to say that God sends these things our way in order that we may comfort others in similar situations. After all, how could we comfort those in pain if we never experienced it ourselves?

You see, God never promised us a life free of heartache. In fact, He promised us just the opposite in Matthew 5:11 when He said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you…” It’s never been a question of if hardship will come; it’s simply been a matter of when. The amazing thing is that we can face each and every one of these valleys with the knowledge that we are not alone, for Christ has promised never to leave nor forsake His children regardless of the circumstances (Hebrews 13:5). As the old song beautifully reminds us, “He never promised that the cross would not get heavy, or that the hill would not be hard to climb. He never offered our victories without fighting, but He said help would always come in time.”*

Maybe the mountain you’re facing seems too high to climb, and the valley to wide to cross. Maybe logic is screaming at you to throw your hands up and give in, and you don’t know how much longer you can ignore its voice. If this is you, know today that God is on His way. He hasn’t forgotten you, and has promised never to burden us with more than we’re able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). If He brought you to it, He’s certainly able to take you through it.

*The Crabb Family in their song, “Through the Fire”

 

Anxiety. It’s a little word, but yet a big problem in today’s world. People worry about everything from mortgage payments to what they’re cooking for dinner, even though several thousand years of history reveal no instances of worry or anxiety ever fixing anything. The worst part of it all, though, is not that countless hours of useful time are thrown away each day by worrywarts; it’s that many Christians have fallen into this  miserable trap of the devil.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

                                                        -Philippians 4:6

Many times people worry about things which cannot be solved in any other way than through prayer. For example, worrying about where you will spend your eternity won’t change anything, but a single trip to the altar can make all the difference in the world. Despite this, many people spend their entire life in constant fear of what might happen after death, and never do the one thing within their power to resolve this issue. In the same way, how often have we wasted precious time worrying over things that could be solved in a matter of just a few minutes at the altar of prayer?

“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

                          -Romans 11:36

And while many things can be solved through prayer, there are certain things that are simply out of our control. We cannot control when and how we will die, when Christ comes, or whether deceased loved ones are in heaven or not. No matter how hard we try, we can’t change the past, or control the future; all we have is today. Right now is the only moment you can do anything about, and let’s not create another moment worth regretting by wasting it.