Tough times don’t last. But sometimes they do.  What happens then? Are you willing to tough it out? Or will you give up and run in the other direction? But what if God says stay put. You’re right where I want you. You have no reason to run. I’ve allowed for this season to fall on you. And I’ll lift it when the time comes. Until then, trust me.

I mean. Look at Job. His trials lasted for years. And he lost everything. Family. Home. Wealth. He had nothing but his wife and friends who gave him bad advice. Yet his faith in God never wavered. He never turned his back on God. Oh. He questioned why terrible things were happening. And he wondered when they would end. But he kept his eyes on God.

Do you actually trust God? Or do you trust yourself? Are your words always perfectly timed? Are your actions trustworthy? Are your motives pure? You aren’t God. And you know it. So stop acting as if you are.

The God who created the earth in seven days can soothe your aching heart. The God who closed the mouths of the lions can close the mouths of those who speak insults against you. The God who healed the blind man and the lame man can make you whole again. The God who opened barren wombs can heal your broken body. The God who removed the evil spirits from the beggar can heal your anxiety and fears. The God who has taken can also provide.

But what if he doesn’t? What if your enemies continue to speak falsely against you? What if your situation is never made whole? What if your broken body doesn’t mend? What if your anxious thoughts never calm? What if your ship never comes in? What if your tough time becomes a way of life?

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The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. Psalms 23:1-6

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She has an upcoming medical procedure. Uncertainty looms. Outcome to be determined. Fear. Anxiety. What ifs. Unknowns. Life has been good. But now. What if it isn’t? Can her faith hold her through an uncertain future? Will God be enough for her if the diagnosis is disturbing?

Someone else has had a diagnosis. A diagnosis that’s unfamiliar. Yet vaguely relieving. So now she knows what she faces. But others may view her with uncertainty. If they knew. Now she must face a path of healing that will be hard. It will take hard consistent work to regain what was lost. Can she walk that path and do the work necessary to find freedom and wholeness? Can she trust God when at times it has felt that he was far away?

Is God enough if he is all you have? When life throws a curve ball. When authorities make decisions that change the course of your life. When there’s no turning back. Is God enough for you?

God isn’t an emergency room to visit only during a crisis. God is an everyday celebration. A giver of life and a taker of it. He rules the universe. We live at his command. Only thing is. Some people don’t bow down to him. They run or stumble through life on their own power, just to find at the end, they’re lost. They’ve lived lost and it’s too late to be found. It’s only too late once the last breath has been taken. And then eternity has begun and there’s no going back. No. Going. Back.

God is enough. Even during the tough times. Even when all hope seems lost. Even when life has permanently changed. When there’s no going back. When future plans are forever altered. God’s love is still true. God’s plan is still perfect. He will see you through.