John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
The trials and tribulations of our lives may appear somewhat daunting if we forget God’s perspective on them. I am remembering that today, a trial can be defined as a test of faith, patience, or strength. While a tribulation is known as a state of great suffering of body or mind; distress, or misery. When facing these challenges, many of us might not wish to hear about how these attacks or setbacks produce in us perseverance, so that we’ll be mature and complete, not lacking anything as taught in James 1:2-6. Yet James tells us we should actually consider it pure joy (NIV translation) when we face these “trials of many kinds”. Then he goes on to tell us if we lack wisdom, we simply need to ask God who’ll give it to us generously. But when we ask we should ask not doubting.
There are many biblical references to keep in mind when our enemy and his cohorts launch their attacks on us. Thankfully, most of us remember when Jesus left the earth he told his disciples that he would never leave nor forsake them. That promise still belongs to us, the Body of Christ, living on earth today. That means the Lord is always and forever with us whether we feel him or not.
There are many Bible stories I love to read where the Lord shows up and shows out wonderfully for his dearly beloved children and saves them from harm in the Old and New Testaments. Yet we should not forget Romans 14:8: “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Not to mention: “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).”
Let’s recall when the Lord tells Joshua in Joshua 1:6-9, to be strong and courageous, and careful to obey the law Moses had given him so that he’d be successful wherever he went. God also promised to be with Joshua as he was with Moses, and we see how awesome that was. The Lord has not only given us promises and examples of the Old Testament, but his word in the New Testament to guard closely in our hearts. The Lord told Joshua that he should keep the law on his lips and meditate on what was written day and night. He also encouraged him saying he’d never leave nor forsake him as was told to his disciples much later.
We later see David crying out to God in Psalm 56:1-4, asking for God’s mercy as his enemies were in pursuit of him all day long and many were attacking him. Yet David encourages himself saying, when he was afraid, he would trust God as what could mere mortals do to him? After all the good, bad, and ugly we see David go through in the Bible, 1 Chronicles 29:28 tells us David “…died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.”
Later Paul enters the biblical timeline and is convinced after learning that even living his tumultuous life, nothing could separate us from God’s love–not death, life, angels, demons, the present, future, nor any power, heights, or depths (Romans 8:38-39). Paul had great confidence in God’s love for him.
Paul then reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 that we should not fix our eyes on what’s seen, but on what’s “not” seen, since what’s seen is temporary and the unseen eternal. He wanted us to remember that these “light” and “momentary” troubles were producing for us an eternal glory that far exceeds all of them. I’d say that’s great news. We just need the right perspective which is God’s perspective; the truth.
Moreover, we’re reminded in Ephesians 6:10-18, to be strong in the Lord and his power, and to put on the full armor of God, which isn’t an earthly armor against human bodies or weapons, but a spiritual armor necessary for use in our struggle against the rulers, authorities and powers of this world’s darkness and spiritual forces of evil. This armor I recall from top to bottom to help me remember them, includes our helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the spirit (God’s word), the shield of faith, the belt of truth, and feet fit with the “readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” And we should “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” So there’s no need to worry that you are tiring the Lord with your continual prayers. He wants us to do it!
In addition, in 2 Timothy 4:3-7, Paul lets Timothy, his son in the faith and coworker, know that a time was coming when people wouldn’t embrace sound doctrine, but to please themselves would gather a large group of teachers who would only tell them what they wanted to hear. Sadly, they’d turn from truth to myths, which today are widely held, but false beliefs or ideas. Yet Timothy was to keep his head in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and discharge all the duties of his ministry. Paul, in this passage, also signaled the end of his own life being near, but that he had: (1) fought the good fight; (2) finished the race; and (3) kept the faith. By God’s grace, may we all be able to say the same.
Ms. Rita's Minute 