Some people say that “trouble comes in threes.” This gives us hope that after three negative circumstances, we will enjoy a time of respite from trouble. Another common saying is to quote Murphy’s Law: “If anything can go wrong, it will.” Of course, this is very pessimistic, but it does seem to be true in our sin-cursed world.
The Good News of Christ is that our current issues will not last forever. A comforting thought, regardless of our trials, is that God has a purpose in the negative circumstances for us as well as those around us. He teaches us life lessons, reveals to us His power and provision, matures us spiritually, and supernaturally comforts us as we experience each of these issues.
Focusing on Jesus, we receive everything that we need to live a fulfilled life (Matthew 6:33). We look beyond the present moment and concentrate on His glory that is within us – just as Jesus did when He faced horrendous persecution and a vile death on Calvary’s cross (Hebrews 12:2). We also look for the seed for a miracle that He never fails to plant in every trial.
When life T-bones us with a sudden critical incident, it throws us off course until it collides like a car wreck with our faith and hope in the Lord. Negative emotions like discouragement, hopelessness, and despair attempt to settle into our bones, and if we entertain them for very long, they are hard to dislodge.
We may pull our self up by our bootstraps and use our human resources to hobble along. However, our only true hope is to draw near to God. Then, as we resist Satan’s lies, he must flee from us with His entire demonic hoard (James 4:7-8). Journaling our thoughts and emotions allows us to pour out our heart to God, as well as to free us from them plaguing our soul.
As we reread our words, scribbles across the pages of our journal, we realize that God spoke either explanation, guidance, or comfort to us in our meandering thoughts as we unburdened our heart on its pages (Jeremiah 29:11). Using His Word, a thought that He plants in our mind, or a person or new experience, He directs us in His way to escape the gridlock of our disappointment.
Once we understand the cause of our negative feelings, we can forgive those who offend us or cause us mental, emotional, and physical pain. We often misunderstand a person’s intent, and we jump to false conclusions and overreact. Once we pray about the situation, and calmly inquire why the other person did or said what hurt us, we see God’s direction for us.
One of my friends lost her baby in childbirth. In the midst of her anguish, God showed her that although her arms ached to hold this precious child, He was already holding her baby in His everlasting arms. This brought her comfort, because there is no better place for her child to rest for eternity. Life starts at conception, and her child’s little soul was now in heaven with our Savior.
Prayer:
Father God, my friend’s baby may have left this temporary, mortal world with its trials and suffering, but she did not miss her immortal home in Heaven. How lovely is the thought that she is waiting there for us all to join her in Your time. You give us hope through every trial, direct us through each new day, and help us to walk in Your ways through the guidance of Your Holy Spirit.
Remind us that even a fatal illness is nothing to fear, because the end will bring us face-to-face with You. You have a plan in all of our circumstance – positive and negative ones – and we can rest assure that even our trials will accomplish results for our ultimate good (Ecclesiastes 3:11; Romans 8:28). Our faith in Your faithfulness enables us to totally surrender to You as we face the future outcome of our trials, which we cannot yet foresee.
Thought for the Day:
We often allow minor issues, which will have no meaning a week from now, to bowl us over and knock us for a loop when they first occur; however, God is our Father of all mercy and comfort and He calms us in our sickness and trials, so that we may share this same consolation with others when they experience similar situations; we experience suffering for Christ’s sake, but we also receive abundant comfort through Him as well.
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
