Did you know people in the Bible experienced
a range of circumstances that required them to trust God in both triumph (and
tragedy)? Can their stories help you overcome the challenging circumstances in
your life today? The God of the Bible is like no one else. Faith in God brings comfort even in the midst
of crushing difficulties. It is what helps us to trust God in anything. Below
are biblical characters that depended on God when there life was a mess. Be
inspired with their life stories:
Deborah
Sometimes difficulty isn’t a drastic tragedy, but the busy chaos of managing life. With all that we want to accomplish on a daily basis, we can end up worn out, disappointed, and never feeling like we’ve finished anything. Your chore list may feel like it goes on forever.
Deborah was one of those amazingly talented people who seemed to be able to do it all. She was a leader, a judge, a prophetess, a wife, and a mother. She courageously led her people into battle Life demands a lot from us each day: settling disputes, finances, children, and our health. Deborah’s family (the people of Israel) had its dysfunctions just like many of ours do.
Deborah believed and trusted God in a way that can be hard for us to do. God was real and present in her life. If I had this strong of a belief that God’s hand was in every effort of my day, I would be a lot more content with each days’ accomplishments. I wouldn’t be so overwhelmed with the busy schedule of my life, but would believe that I can handle it because God was on my side. Deborah described herself as a mother to Israel. She was motivated to serve. It was not about the title, or accomplishments, but about caring for others.
What are the
areas of your life that overwhelm you the most? What is one thing that you
could do to make God more a part of your daily life? Who is someone that you
could reach out and help this week?
ZECHARIAH AND ELIZABETH
A longing unfulfilled can be disheartening. Imagine having been married for a long time, unable to have children, and living in a culture that measured God’s love for you by the number of children you have. This is the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, a couple described as very old and childless.
Have you been denied something you’ve wanted for a long time? Maybe it’s a lingering health situation that won’t go away, a child who rejects your influence, a character weakness you cannot overcome, or a sin that plagues you and your relationships. Zechariah and Elizabeth understood this, and knew how to remain faithful while waiting on God’s answer.
God showed his faithfulness with Zechariah and Elizabeth by working to bless their lives with a child even after they waited a long time. Secondly, Zechariah and Elizabeth lived by faith with the conviction that God loved them and wanted to bless them. They had the desire to stay righteous while they waited for their longings to be fulfilled.
If you are like me, and you endure adversity for any length of time, it can be easy to lose faith and quickly turn to self-pity and unbelief. This leads us to quit praying and expecting God to move. The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is about the faithfulness of God, and what it means to live by faith.
What are you
longing for? Are you honest with yourself, others, and God about your longings?
How do you handle adversity? Have you quit believing God hears you and wants to
bless you?
A WOMAN HEALED BY JESUS
In Mark 5, we find a scene that is prevalent throughout the gospels: a large crowd has gathered around Jesus. People from all over the region rushed to Him and pressed against Him. In the crowd was a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for 12 years. She had visited many doctors and had spent all she had on treatments. Instead of getting better, her condition worsened. Because of the nature of her illness, she was considered unclean according to the laws of the time. She was sick, broke, and an outcast. Because of her confident faith in Jesus, she was able to ignore the pain for a moment and ultimately take the risk that changed everything.
Trying something new may be the last thing on your mind, especially when you have a chronic health challenge or are in the midst of long-standing troubles. Although the woman in this passage was unnamed, her story of faith is unforgettable and inspires me to never give up. She took a bold risk to believe in Jesus and his power. She stepped out of the shadows, made her way through the crowd and told the whole truth so she could get closer to Jesus.
When it feels like things will never change, I’m realizing there is more to explore in my relationship with God. I get stuck wanting my own way that I miss what God is doing and the doors He is opening. I’ve been seeing God create opportunities to build closeness in my life, making new friends, and to comfort those around me. Seeing God move through my struggles has helped my faith grow.
Does the
condition of your health (physical, mental, or emotional) affect your faith?
How do you respond when things don’t go well? How has your faith been affected
by a long-standing difficult situation? What by faith can you do that might
feel risky?
MOSES
Difficult times can lead us to a point where we feel like there are very few options before us to find a solution. We are left wondering to ourselves, “How did I get myself here?” I discovered I needed to shift my thinking, and see this setback as a set-up for God to move. Moses experienced that same feeling when leading Israel out of Egypt.
The Israelites were stuck between the Red Sea and an angry Egyptian army. God guided the Israelites to the exact place he wanted them to be, right on the edge of the Red Sea. With the water at their backs, and Pharaoh and the Egyptians bearing down on them, it was only God who could provide a way it.
This experience can occur in our lives from time to time. We feel as if we are in an impossible situation, just for God to show us how powerful He is. God is an unconventional thinker. The Israelites felt there was no way out of their situation. Who could have predicted that God would part the Red Sea for the Israelites to walk through on solid ground? Difficult times will happen to us all. Though it is easy to get afraid of having nowhere to turn, these are the moments we can see God work at His best.
Do you believe
your difficult situation can be an opportunity for God to come through? What
type of prayer do you need to have to change your mind set on difficulty (to
see it as God having your right where he wants you)? Imagine being one of the
Israelites who walked through the Red Sea, and saw Pharaoh’s army destroyed.
What would that have done to your faith in God? How would that change your view
of God?
David
“This is not how I pictured it.” Have you ever said this about your life? We all have a picture of how we want our life to play out. Everyone experiences periods in life that look nothing like they had imagined. David was anointed King of Israel, was hailed a hero for conquering Goliath, led numerous successful military campaigns, became head of military operations for Israel, and married the king’s daughter.
He had it all going for him. Then suddenly, because of a jealous king, David spent the next ten or more years running from Saul. He was held up in a cave with a motley crew of misfits. It would be safe to say this is not how David pictured his journey toward becoming the king of Israel.
In difficult times, we may be tempted to believe that God has abandoned us. As the story of David illustrates, God’s destiny for our lives does not change because of our circumstances. David’s destiny was fulfilled and he became king of Israel. In fact, his difficult circumstances made him a more compassionate and humble king.
David’s journey to fulfill his destiny was not always smooth. We can learn from David that our destiny was not determined by difficult moments. Our destiny is determined by God. There is no greater joy than seeing God’s destiny rise above our circumstances. David embraced difficult times because he believed his future was in the hands of a God that loved him. We too need to do this also.
What in your
life is not how you pictured it? How has this influenced your belief in God’s
love and faithfulness? Are you still praying about where you want God to take
you?
SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO
At this time in history, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was influenced by those around him to set up an image of gold, and required everyone in his kingdom to bow down and worship it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego respectfully declined. When the whole kingdom was following along, they stood their ground.
Even in their position, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not feel the need to defend their decision to not comply with the king’s edict. They remained calm and confident in the face of the Kings life-threatening anger at them. They had faith that God would save them no matter the result.
But the part that is most astonishing is their focus on God even if He didn’t save them from the flames of the fiery furnace they would be thrown into. They trusted God completely. They were not motivated by their own success or glory, but rather by the fact that God would be glorified through their sacrifice or their triumph.
Is your faith
based on the outcome of your difficult situation? How can you trust that God
still loves and guides you? What is your motive in wanting your desired
outcome?
“Our vision is so limited we can hardly
imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering…. The
love of God did not protect His own Son…. He will not necessarily protect us –
not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and
chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.” (Elisabeth Elliot)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“5 Fundamental Reasons You Can Trust God Today” by
Danielle Munoz
·
“7 Examples of Trusting God in
Difficult Times to Inspire You” By
This subject was inspired by Jan Bahr.
No comments:
Post a Comment