Finding God in the tough times

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord,
‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a
future."

This is God's promise to us.

Have you ever found yourself in a rough patch in life? Maybe you're in a tight spot financially and aren't sure if you can pay your bills this month or even feed yourself. You've just ended a relationship that you thought for sure was promising. You recently lost someone dear to your heart. Perhaps you have anxiety about a situation in your life that doesn't make sense to you. You feel like you're at a dead end. You feel like your life is falling apart at the seams. Ready to give up?

In situations like these, it's all too common for us to take our focus off of God and lose hope. Remember... God promises to prosper us. He promises to give us hope and a future. God has given us promises that we can rely on when we are in need of comfort and assurance and He is always true to His word.

God uses tough times to direct us. He uses problems in our lives to point us in new directions and down new paths. He does this to refine us and mold us into steadfast followers of Christ. 1 Peter 5:10 "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." When we are suffering, we often feel as though our pain will never end. Peter assures us that our sufferings will only be for a little while.

Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." You can make your plans, but God will direct them and often he'll direct them through the problems that arise in your own plans. These problems arise to get our attention. CS Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pain; It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." God uses distress to open our eyes. Job 36:15, (The Message) "But those who learn from their suffering, God delivers from their suffering."

What did Job do when faced with difficulty? He cried out and praised God. What did Daniel do when he was thrown into the lion’s den? He simply praised God. What do I find myself doing all too often when I'm faced with troubles? I worry. I complain. I lose hope instead of praising God. Hold on. Stop right there for a moment. Do you see the problem here? God has a solution and a reason for my troubles. Even if His solution is not what I want, it is His perfect Will. I should be praising Him and trusting Him to see me through. I should be trusting that He knows exactly what He is doing and that He knows what is best for me and how to mold me.

If we continue to focus on the problem, and not on God, the problem will win. If you want advice, if you want comfort, if you want a direction to go in; turn to God in Christ Jesus. He has promised you a hope and a future. He has promised to lead you the way. He has promised to restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

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I wrote that because yesterday I've was struggling a lot and needed to be reminded that God is going to see me through. I'm trying to get my taxes done and I was worried because it's looking like I'm going to owe money instead of receive the tax return I was hoping for and really truly needing. I'm trying to get caught up on a few things financially right now and already living barely paycheck to paycheck. There are days when I don't eat as much as I should. There are days where I'm lucky to fill up the gas tank. Times are tough and sometimes it's really hard to see a way out. But... there is a way out and that way is through Jesus Christ.

I happened across Matthew 6:25-34 today. It says:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.



Don't let your worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today.