We all need encouragement right about now!
We find ourselves in a sober moment and are not sure what to do next. Fear is rising in these uncertain times. Remember, it is not God’s will that we face every day with dread and trepidation. He made us for more than a life of breath-stealing angst and mind-splitting worry.
Ultimately, we all need to recognize this truth. God is and always will be in control of the situation. And His purposes are good. We might question this from time to time but it is true! God is in everything. He is not standing idly by, hoping for the best. He is in it for good. Does that mean He caused it? God doesn’t want us talking about cause, and He doesn’t want us to be focused on cause. It’s a complete distraction.
He wants us to understand that we have a God who is bigger than the decisions of people, bigger than the works of the devil, bigger than any heartbreak of life, and that He is not only in it for good, He means it for good. Yes, if we are in a circumstance, God means that circumstance, and He mean it for good. The universe is completely safe for us. Nothing comes to us – and God in us – unless it passes through His loving hands.
Life is difficult and out of our control, we need to recognize that we aren’t able to fix it. We need to fix the problem at its source—and only the Lord can do that. I’m going to suggest ten thoughts of encouragement and each of these help to keep us God-focused in the midst of our trial.
1. God means for us to be where we are.
This one is usually the toughest for us to accept, but once we do, it’s a bit easier to move on to the rest. God has led or allowed us to be in this situation and God is sovereign. God is love. He didn’t put us in this situation because he stopped loving us, but because he loves us. We aren’t there by accident. We are facing issues in our lives by God’s appointment and for his purpose. We may not have a clue as to what God’s purpose in the situation is, but we can rest assured that God has not abandoned us. He has some purpose for us. That realization shapes our attitudes as we face our trials.
2. Be more concerned for God’s glory than for your relief.
God doesn’t waste suffering!! When we are in trying circumstances, the first question that should come to our minds isn’t “How can I get out of this mess?” That’s the question we all naturally ask. We need to train ourselves to ask another question instead: “How can I honor God in this situation?” Jesus is our example. He didn’t try to escape from his death on the cross. The Lord doesn’t always deliver us from our problems in the way we want Him to. He does it HIS WAY. Always ask yourself this question: “How can God be glorified in the situation I am facing?”
3. Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord.
Take a good hard look at our problem. We can’t pretend that it is not there. Faith means that we evaluate our situation carefully and think about what God wants us to do in the situation. We need to be sure that we don’t confuse faith with denial. But then we also need to be careful that we don’t allow ourselves to be so consumed by our situation that we leave God out of the picture. We can make that mistake too. God wants us to face our circumstances realistically, but he also wants us to look to him and remember that he has promised to guide us through them. The same God who led us in will lead us out. So let’s keep our balance.
4. Crying out to God centers on one specific need; it is not regular prayer!
Crying out to God is a profession of an honest, true, deep need that only God can meet. In other words, it is from the gut! This one specific need is an overwhelming situation that looms in front of us and behind us and above us and below us. That need is all we can see, so this is no regular relational prayer with God; it is our cry for help, because this situation seems so enormous! We have only two options…panic or cry out to God! It’s how we express that we need God. It’s our way of telling Him how we feel, what we think we need, how much we need him, and to thank Him for what He’s provided. There’s something about praying with others that intensifies prayer and sends it to heaven with greater speed. It’s important for us to pray together. God wants us to share our needs and join together in presenting our requests to him. We’re talking crisis-time!
5. Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work.
We commit our situation to Him…we trust Him…we trust Him…we wait for Him to work while we continue to do and be what pleases Him. His thoughts aren’t our thoughts (or should I say our thoughts are not His?) His ways and methods are not ours, and my timetable very seldom matches His. To “wait on the Lord” doesn’t mean we sit on our cans and do nothing. I’m most content when I let Him be God. Stay calm. That does not come naturally to me. I find it much easier to panic! Stay calm and confident. Confident? But worry comes rushing in without me even giving it any thought. And give God time to work. That’s the hardest part of this rule. Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work. I don’t like it, but I know I need to put this rule into practice in my life.
6. When unsure, discern from God your next step of faith.
Just one step is enough. He’ll show the next step when it’s time. Many people think God has to work mysteriously and supernaturally or it’s not God. Most times God wants us to use the common sense He has given us as He unfolds His plans and purposes for our lives. We are an impatient people and we don’t like to wait. We want things our way and right now! When I drive at night my headlights don’t shine all the way to my destination either; just far enough to see what’s next. But what do you do while you are waiting to see what God is going to do? Don’t be paralyzed by fear. Stay alert and watch out for the enemy. Don’t allow yourself to become paralyzed by past mistakes. Don’t dream about the future. Go do what you can do right now, and leave the results up to God.
7. Learn to rest in God’s embrace.
Talk about comforting! This one has changed my life! When I live my life fully aware that God lives in me, for me, thru me and as me and will protect me wherever I go, it changes the whole equation in front of me. He is taking care of me even when life hurts! God’s timing is perfect! Relax! Affirm His nearness in your heart – Do not be anxious about anything…Visualize God’s presence in your mind – God is as close as our breath…see with your faith eyes the Lord’s loving arms around you. We don’t have to pretend that God is with us in difficulties. He really is present!
8. Trust God to deliver in His own unique way.
God specializes in ‘deliverance’. But He doesn’t see things as we do! God will deliver us from every peril and problem, but He doesn’t do it with a “cookie cutter”! Each solution is tailor-made for each of us…and as unique as each of us. God begins with the impossible and goes on from there. God designs a unique, tailor-made deliverance to every trial and trouble. Trust in God’s ways!! The more we rely on God the more effectively He can help us!
9. Realize our current crisis is meant to be a faith builder.
Pray, “Lord, make me stronger with this would you?” God is interested in more than our happiness. If you are a believer, then God is making you into a person who will live with him for eternity. That’s the way that God looks at us, and that’s the way we need to look at ourselves. We are creatures being prepared to live in the heavenly presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords. God created this world, and we should enjoy His good creation. But as believers, we also recognize that God has more in mind for us than our happiness. That’s why this is so important. God is preparing us for eternity with him.
10. Don’t forget to praise Him.
One of the reasons God allows crisis is to give us the opportunity to praise Him. Knowing this truth makes us want to sing and praise God. How can we not praise God. If God delivers us from our difficult time, praise God. Even when God doesn’t seem to deliver and when you are confused and feel trapped, praise God. Your relationship with God doesn’t need to cease, just because your circumstances seem hard. We can praise God for the way He guides and stretches us, while He encourages us to grow in patience! God is good all the time, all the time he is good. Cling to him at all times. And whether your circumstances come to an end or not, you will always have him. Develop a perspective of PRAISE!! Praising God is to express delight in who He is and what he has done.
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