trials

When Life Stinks

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I’m not sure which is worse to live through. A cold house in the middle of a very cold winter when the furnace isn’t working. Or. A hot house in the middle of a very hot summer when the air conditioning quits working. I hate to say it, but I’m living in a very hot house right now. And this past winter, it was a cold house. As I type this, I’m waiting on a repairman who can hopefully help resolve the problem.

And the verdict is in. We need a new air conditioner. Oh. The old one still works, but the coolant is no longer legal to use. That requires us to purchase something we really don’t need but we do need. Apparently, there’s no way around it. Isn’t it funny how life works. And we’re also waiting to hear if our home warranty company will cover the cost. Or at least part of it.

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes the unpredictability just stinks. And usually we just have to adjust when the unpredictable sinks to an all-time low. Oh. It could be anything that surprises us. Catches us off guard. An unexpected home repair. Or an unexpected illness or diagnosis. It could be a job loss. Or an unplanned pregnancy. Or the loss of a loved one. Or a local tragedy. Perhaps it’s a huge unexpected change of plans. We never know when life will trip us up.

There are ups and downs in the flow of life. Some good. Some bad. And some ugly. At times, the trouble sticks around indefinitely, and other times it’s short-lived. We never know what life will bring, and we don’t know how our troubles will be resolved. But we can still find good in life even during the most difficult of times.

Oh. I know there are deeper troubles we can find ourselves in besides living without air conditioning. I’m thankful that, at the moment, this is the only trouble we’re in. Because it’s momentary, we will see the end of it in a relatively short time.

I’m thankful at the moment for a portable air conditioner that’s keeping the house modestly cool. Plus. We have fans going during the day and night. And we’re sitting outside under the big oak tree keeping cool for awhile each day. Oh. We’ll have a new cooling unit installed, but we have to wait in line with all the others who are experiencing similar troubles.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 1 Peter 5:6-7,10

When life throws us into a spin of tough times, we must lean on God. He is the God of all comfort, and he will sustain us. When the uncertainties and emotions ebb and flow, we have a constant source of strength. God is an ever-present help in times of trouble.

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Psalms 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalms 46:1

When we are walking through a very dark valley, can we still find good in life? Can we push away the fearful thoughts that can overwhelm and discourage us? I know from experience that during the toughest times of life, I lean in closer to God than I do when life is going my way. I seek his presence more, because in the low times I realize I can’t handle life on my own. I don’t know why I think I’m handling life well on my own when things are going smoothly. It’s second nature. But we need God in every day of our lives, not just during the tough times.

And during the easier days we also need to spend time with God. Filling our cup of life with his goodness and love and kindness. It’s only when our cup is full that we can dip into the excess during those unexpected difficulties. Life is good at all times when God is the center of our lives. Our circumstances may be difficult, but God is always, always good.

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. Psalms 23:4

God’s gracious presence is with us during even the worst times of our lives. He doesn’t leave us. We must reach out to him for strength and support. He loves us with an everlasting love during every period of our lives. He doesn’t love us only when life is easy. He loves us as much during the difficulties we face. His love never changes or ceases.

I know someone who was traveling internationally this week. She arrived, but her luggage didn’t. And the power was out, meaning the water also didn’t work. What a way to start a missions trip. Was she excited and on fire for the assignment, or was she fuming at the inconvenience of it all? Fortunately, her luggage showed up three days later, after she had made an emergency shopping trip.

Life is full of events we don’t ask for. It’s in those moments that we have to realize that God is still God, and we are not. He walks beside us during every trial life throws at us. Regardless of how big or small it may seem to others, God is in the midst of our troubles allowing us to fall back on his grace and mercy. He’s waiting for us to call out to him in our moments of need, as well as in our moments of plenty.

Be still, and know that I am God! Psalms 46:10

All creatures, when in distress, run to their refuges. ~Trapp

Living Through the Fire

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I don’t recall any of the events I’m about to share, but here are things I know. I lived through a house fire. I was roughly two years old when our family home caught fire. I was too young to remember any of the details. I don’t recall smelling the smoke throughout the day but not knowing where it was coming from. I don’t remember seeing the house in flames as my parents tried to save us as well as some of the household items. I don’t remember my six year old brother getting off the school bus to see his home going up in flames. I don’t know if my parents even had a phone in the house at the time. I have no recollection of any part of that day. I was way too young. But I know it happened, because my parents talked about it on occasion. But rarely. They never went into detail of the horrors that day. All I remember them saying was that there was a fire in the attic flue that they weren’t aware of until it was much too late.

The only things I remember that were saved, along with us four kids, was a cushion off the couch and my mother’s wedding dress. I don’t know if they were able to save any other furniture or clothes. I don’t know if they had to rely on family and friends to refill our new home with everything a home needs, but I’m sure they did. I know my birth certificate didn’t survive the fire. They did save some pictures, but I don’t remember what else from my early days of childhood survived.

When my dad built the house that we moved into later and my parents lived in for the next fifty years, I was subconsciously afraid that our house would burn down. When we moved into the new house, I was still very young. It was a ranch style house with a rough finished basement where we lived for seven years before the upstairs was completed. Every night when I went to bed as a child, I would pray that our house wouldn’t burn down in the middle of the night. My two sisters and I shared a bedroom that was next to the “furnace” room. It was a coal furnace, and in my child’s mind it was exactly like the furnace that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into. But the door of our furnace was a small square that would be impossible to walk into. But I could imagine the three men walking around in our furnace with the fourth person who joined them. Being so young and not remembering the fire, I was so afraid that the furnace would explode at night on the other side of my bedroom wall. I was afraid we would be caught in the fire and be unable to escape. Thankfully, that never happened.

As I see the horrific photos and videos of the fires of LA, I am appalled that such a travesty is happening. At this point, it is unknown if it was intentional or not. One can only hope and pray that it wasn’t. But I’ve read that due to mismanagement of the forests and funding, it was only a matter of time until a fire of epic proportions flattened the city, or at least portions of it. I think of the families and lives that have been disrupted. Some will never return to what was once normal for a very long time. These fires are as disturbing as the hurricane that disrupted and displaced so many lives in North Carolina and nearby states a few months ago.

We wonder and ask if these horrible events could have been prevented. We may never know.

Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3

As I sit in my comfortable home, I think of the events of my week. Oh. I’ve had the heating man out to tell me why the furnace wasn’t heating our house properly. It was a very minor fix. And then the next day, the roofing guy was here to tell me why we had a leaky roof. This too seems to require a minor repair. All in a day’s work, some might say. I don’t have to worry about where I’ll sleep tonight or if I have a home to go to at the end of the day. I have insurance on my home if a natural disaster would occur. I have a home warranty that will help with repairs. I have a deed that says I own my home. I feel secure at the moment, but we all know that secure moments are fleeting. We don’t know when the winds of change will blow and remove all the security we once felt.

My parents didn’t own the home that burned.  They were renting it.  I don’t know if they had insurance or if insurance was even available.  But I do know that they rebuilt their lives. They didn’t let the tragic loss mar their lives forever. Sure. It was a monumental loss.  Losing your home and earthly possessions is beyond tragic.  It’s devastating.  They didn’t lose their faith in God or in humanity.  They just rebuilt and trusted that God would provide.  And He did.  For some, such a tragedy would test their faith, but my parents’ response to their loss was a testimony to their faith.  Oh.  I’m sure they were shaken to the core, but their faith wasn’t shaken.  At the time, they had four young children entrusted to their care, and they didn’t shirk their duty. Their faith remained strong, and they picked themselves up out of the ashes and rebuilt their lives.

Oh. The fires of LA are much larger and much more devastating than one small house fire. Any house fire and loss of property is tragic, but entire communities of families and businesses have been lost. Most lives have been saved, but it will take years to rebuild. Some may choose to never return. Many had lost their homeowners insurance just months earlier. What will they do? Only time will tell.

When we walk through the fires, we will be tested. Our faith in God can be the testament to others that we never walk alone when we walk through the fire or the flood. God is our ever present help in time of trouble, and he will not leave us. We may lose all earthly possessions, but God is with us even in the deepest, darkest trials of life. He never changes. He knows our names and he loves us with an everlasting love, regardless of our circumstances. Let’s hold tightly to that promise in the days ahead.

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord ; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord ’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord , and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Psalms 34:1-8

Grow Strong

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

These are trying times. We’ve had our secure and comfortable lives upended for the past year and a half. And there seems to be no end in sight. There’s a lot of upheaval and unrest in the nation. People are fed up and angry. People are frustrated and have lost trust in leaders. We’re tired to the point of exhaustion. And it isn’t necessarily a physical exhaustion. There are those who are uptight and at the end of their rope. They say they are followers of Christ. Followers of Christ can be anxious during uncertain times.

It’s time to strengthen our relationship with Christ during these uncertain times. It’s time to take the next step into being more like Christ. It’s time to look to his example to see how he was able to stay true to his calling when he was being pursued by those who hated him. When he knew he would be the sacrifice for a lost world.

What did Jesus do to guard against anxious thoughts and fears? When he knew he was going to the cross, what did he do? What were the routines in his life that gave Jesus strength? Because in his humanity, he experienced every emotion that we humans experience. He faced the same temptations we face. By studying his life, we can see how he lived not by emotions, but by God’s Word.

Now I know he was God. He came in human form and experienced life, just as we experience it. He faced the same challenges that we face. The same trials and temptations. So when I look at the life of Jesus, what do I see?

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15

As he began his ministry, Jesus surrounded himself with people who believed his message. These followers weren’t just yes men. They were people who believed what he was teaching. They accepted the truth that he was Jesus Christ, the Son of God come in human form. He handpicked those who he would disciple and lead.

Now they didn’t necessarily understand what all that meant, but they believed in his teaching. They believed he was the Messiah. He spent a lot of time with them. In fact, he had a small inner circle who he trusted and relied on. That’s what we as believers need to do. We need to find a small group of like minded believers who will encourage us and challenge us. We need others who will mentor us and hold us accountable. We need close friends to strengthen our faith. We need those who will stand in the gap for us in our time of need. These friends can help us understand what we believe and why we believe it and to help us articulate it. Iron sharpens iron, as Scripture says. We need individuals in our lives who are the iron to sharpen us. We weren’t meant to do life alone.

Jesus was also in the temple on a regular basis. As a child he was taught the law. The Jewish law. He was taught Scripture. He could quote Scripture from memory. He knew the laws by heart. And when he became an adult, he still went to the temple where he began teaching. He began teaching as his Father gave him words and understanding. He opened up the Scriptures and explained them to those following the Jewish traditions.

We too must attend church. We must meet regularly with other believers. Listening to God’s Word preached to us. Worshipping God. Giving of our income to help spread the gospel. Fellowshipping with other believers.

Jesus challenged some of the regular day teachings, because his teachings were of a new way. He was teaching the promise that he was the Messiah, and that he was the hope of the world. And sure. There were many people who didn’t believe him. They knew this Jesus of Nazareth was the son of Mary and Joseph. Why would they believe what he’s saying. They asked. But he spoke the truth. And they didn’t believe him.

As believers, we need to spend time in God’s Word. Not just casually reading the Bible, but digging deep and studying what we are reading. Learning the heart of God. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it. Reading the Word of God is one of the ways we get to know God.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Jesus spent time alone with his Heavenly Father. He went alone into the wilderness. He fasted and prayed. He spent time in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He took a boat ride to the other side of the lake, so he could renew himself alone with his Father. He knew that his work was demanding and that he would pay the price. He needed time alone with his Father to prepare for his ministry.

It may not be popular these days to fast. To intentionally give up food for a period of time just to pray. Some would say it’s an unnecessary act of self denial. But it will cause breakthroughs in our relationship with God. When we humble ourselves to the point of denying ourselves food. The thing that sustains our human life. When we can forego food in order to feed our souls. When we spend one on one time with God. Communing with Him. Sacrificing our physical needs for our spiritual needs. We will touch heaven.

Jesus sacrificed his life for everyone on earth. He sacrificed himself. He was spit on. He was tortured. His robe was taken. A crown of thorns was placed on his head. And after all of that torture he was forced to carry His cross.

He paid dearly. Physically, for our sins. Yes, he asked to be removed from this suffering. He asked for this cup to be taken from him. There are times that we go through deep trials. Physical. Emotional. Mental. Spiritual. Financial. Relational. We ask to be removed from these situations. It’s okay to ask for that, but maybe the thing we should ask is for God to be with us during these times. Because if we’ve declared that God is enough for us, then is he enough in our weakest, most trying moments of life?

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8

In order to be like Jesus, we need to be able to identify with him. To recognize the struggles that he faced in his life as a man on earth. We see that he accepted those challenges. He didn’t run from trouble. He faced his trials head on and came out the winner. Our strength cannot come from ourselves. Our strength must come from God and God alone. That is only possible if we have a deep abiding faith in God. That comes by spending time in God’s Word. Reading and studying God’s word. Spending time in prayer. Perhaps it’s time to fast and pray. It’s time we humble ourselves to the point that we can face the challenges thrown at us. No matter what they are, come what may, God is our Redeemer. He is our refuge and strength. He’s always ready to help in times of trouble.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

When It Seems God Is Failing

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In Exodus 3, God called Moses to return to Egypt to deliver his people.  The Israelites.  Moses fought the call.  Who am I to do such a thing?  He didn’t think he was good enough.  He didn’t think he was a good speaker.  He didn’t think he could make the Egyptian leaders believe him.  Even when God allowed Aaron to speak so Moses could perform the miracles, Moses resisted.  Even when God gave him clear instructions, Moses still wavered.  God reminded him that his people’s misery and oppression had been seen.  His people’s cries for mercy had been heard.  Moses was to go.  That was God’s clear command.  And God promised to lead Moses and his people to a land that was flowing with milk and honey.

So Moses went to Pharaoh.  Aaron spoke God’s words and Moses performed God’s miracles before Pharaoh.  But Pharaoh refused to give in to God and caused greater suffering for the Israelites.

Even with God’s promise, the Israelite’s suffering worsened before they were delivered.  They had done no wrong, but their workload was increased.  They were beaten.  They were abused.  They were threatened.

Then Moses turned again to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you mistreated this people? Why did you ever send me? Since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has mistreated this people, and you have done nothing at all to deliver your people.”  Exodus 5:22-23 NRSV

Could this have been the same cry that rang out from Jesus’ lips as he hung on that cross?  My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?  Jesus was in agony.  He felt abandoned by his Father.   Had God left him all alone on that cross?  Not only was the physical pain of being nailed to the cross unbearable, but he was bearing the weight of the entire world’s sins on his shoulders.

Death by crucifixion was barbaric.  It brought immense physical suffering.  It was cruel.  It was painful.  Nails were hammered into his hands and feet.  His breathing was ragged.  He had severe blood loss.  Broken ribs.  Collapsed lungs.  Exhausted thighs.  Shoulders pulled from their sockets.  A slow agonizing death.

Yes, there are times when life doesn’t make sense.  When things are going wrong.  Horribly wrong.  Others make decisions that impact innocent lives.  We feel abandoned.  We may feel that we’re in exile with no way of escape.  It would seem that God is failing.

Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

The thing is.  I’ve said some of those same words.  I’m not good enough.  I can’t do this.  God, why am I going through this situation?  When will it end?  God, where are you?  God, why have you forsaken me?  God, why have you done nothing to deliver me?

When it seems that those you trusted have failed you, there is One who never fails.  God is not slow.  He is patient.  He is working behind the scenes.  Putting everything in place.  Oh.  It may seem as if he hasn’t heard the prayers.  It may seem as if he hasn’t seen our plight.  It may seem as if he doesn’t care.  He has said that we will have trouble in this life.  We will suffer.  We will face trials and deep sorrows.

But God has given us a promise that we must hold to as long as we have breath.  He will right our wrongs.  Oh.  Not necessarily as we would like, but in His all-knowing, all-seeing, all-present way.  God does not fail.  He is in control.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”  Jeremiah 29:11-14

God is good all the time.  All the time God is good.