Many
people view trauma as God's punishment (Hebrews 12:4-5). The truth is that, due
to Jesus' sacrifice, there is no penalty left for sin (Hebrews 10:26). Retribution
is not necessary when we break God's precepts (Hebrews 10:18), because Jesus'
blood already covers our sin (Hebrews 8:12).
Or
we say trials are proof that God does not care. He allows bad things to happen
to good people in order to deepen our intimacy with Him. Trials are just part
of life on this sin-cursed globe, but we can have courage through them, because
Jesus in us already overcame them (John 16:33).
God
intervenes in life to redirect our path, to rescue us from miserable
circumstances, to bless us beyond our wildest imagination, to build endurance
into our character, to allow patience to perfect us (James 1:2-4), and to teach
us gratitude.
God's
antidote for disaster is for us to sing praises to His name for what He is
going to do, even when we do not see any possibilities (Hebrews 11:1-2). We
rest in His love every morning, and praise Him for His faithfulness every night
(Psalm 92:1-4).
God's
Word provides us with examples from other lives, as well as promises to us that
God is trustworthy. Spending daily time in the scripture strengthens our faith
and builds our trust in God alone. Fear and control are demolished on the Rock
of Christ in us (Colossians 1:27-28).
The
key to faith in trials is for us to hide in the cleft of the rock (Jeremiah
49:7-22), to snuggle deeper under His wings, to trust God in the unseen (2 Corinthians
4:18), and to focus on God's eternal plan in it all (Psalm 91:1-4). We concentrate
on what we do have and think positively about the future (Philippians 4:8-9).
Prayer:
Father
God, You call us to come to You when we are weary and burdened, so that You can
give us Your rest and comfort. We lay down our yoke, and join Jesus in Yours,
because it is easy and light with Jesus helping us to carry it (Matthew
11:28-30). Then, we can sleep in peace and safety, regardless of the issues in
life that we face (Psalm 4:8).
In
quiet trust, we confess our willfulness to You that often causes our
predicament, and You give us Your strength (Isaiah 30:15). Even when problems make
no human sense at all, we are not anxious about anything, because we live in
gratitude to You for Your provision through every trial, as we trust You for
the outcome.
Thought
for the Day:
God's
peace inundates every cell of our being, calms our troubled soul, and restores
to us the joy of our salvation, as it guards our heart and mind in Christ
Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 23
