No matter where we think we are on the scale of importance in this
society of haves and have-nots, one thing remains constant, difficulties will
find us whether we are high on the ladder of success of otherwise. Setbacks care not what our rank-and-file may
be or the color of our skin.
As long as we walk this earth, trials and tribulations will come our
way. They are a part of living. It is how we respond to these unwanted
battles that set the level of angst we may or may not experience. Either they overwhelm us or we refuse to
crumble under the attack. I choose to
stand strong in God’s strength. After
all, He said that He would never leave or forsake us.
Though misfortune and even calamity strike, reliance on God and
standing fast in patience, pushes doubt and fear aside, because of the hope
within us. I believe that patience and
faith run a close parallel with each other, being synonymous. Could it be they are one in the same?
When conditions change from all is well to why are these things happening,
it is sometimes difficult to remind ourselves that Jesus is bigger than any
problem we face when standing in the midst of the flames. Reflecting on past victories builds our
confidence and trust that God will see us through the hard times, because He
cares for us and loves us with a never ending love.
David of old, in his youth, reflected on the times that he was able to
slay a bear and lion with God’s help prior to facing the Philistine giant that
was defying the armies of the living God.
King Saul and the men of Israel were dismayed and greatly afraid, but
David stepped out in faith, knowing that the Lord would deliver Goliath into
his hands and that he would defeat him in combat, because of past
triumphs. He knew that God’s
faithfulness would not fail him (1 Samuel
17).
Jesus loved us so much that He allowed Himself to be crucified on the
cross for not only the forgiveness of our sins, but for the healing of minds
and bodies. We can know beyond a doubt
that there is power in the blood He shed if we determine to do so. He willingly gave His life for you and me.
Soon after Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven,
the Holy Spirit descended to help us live for God in our daily walk with Him
and to be our comforter in times of trouble.
Putting self-reliance and intellect in check helps us to maintain the
ability to walk by faith. This allows a
person to be strong in the knowledge that God sees the situation and knows how
to resolve it. His love is bountiful and
unconditional.
It may seem that God is on vacation at times or that He owns a five
dollar watch when waiting for Him to respond to our prayers, but His timing is
perfect in all things. Believing that He
cares for us allows patience to have its perfect work, thus, faith taking
control of the situation. Positive
change is the result of trusting God, whereas, mere feelings can mislead and
produce doubt if allowed to control our thinking.
God is sovereign. In Him,
supreme power reigns to meet our every need.
It can be difficult to remind ourselves of God’s omnipotence when things
are going wrong, especially when we have cried out to Him for help and it seems
that our prayers are futile, producing little results. At these times our faith is tested, causing
our patience to sometimes waver.
When a storm unleashes all its furry and Satan jumps on our shoulder to
point the finger at God for not caring, patience can be influenced negatively
if we listen to his lies rather than rebuking him. When patience is allowed to fluctuate, our
level of faith weakens. The devil knows
this, but God is greater! The Holy
Spirit quickens our thinking and redirects it toward the One who truly cares.
It is easy to look at the circumstances rather than standing in
faith. I strive to not become anxious
with the One who has the answers. When I
listen to the Holy Spirit and stop my complaining, faith has its way in my
life.
Battling the unknowns that invade our space can fatigue
anyone—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, but the Holy Spirit teaches us
how to surrender our problems and our will to God, who brings resolution.
As I stated before, God’s timing is perfect. He always comes through, which builds trust
in Him and strengthens our belief system even more. When I look back, as David did, I see the
hand of God working to bring about positive results through constructive
influences, even though the driving force of attacks seemed overwhelming.
God brings the victory—always.
He has everything in control. The
Holy Spirit will not leave us comfortless, and Jesus will be our friend that
sticks closer than a brother. God wants
us to be happy and depend upon Him without leaning to our own intellect and
understanding of things. He shows us His
love, which enables hope to reside in our heart.
Our Heavenly Father wants us to trust Him in all things even though we
may not understand all that is happening in the moment. His ways are far beyond our
understanding. We need to stop relying
on our finite thinking that suppresses faith, and leave the hard times in the
hands of the Lord, because He cares for us.
Worrying and fretting limits our ability to trust God. Walking by faith is when our patience remains
steadfast. This faith in God brings
peace and stability in the face of difficulties. We need not feel like we are circling the
drain when the shadows of gloom come our way, because children of God need not
allow their mind to spin out of control when the Holy Spirit is speaking,
“Peace, be still.”
(Hebrews 11:1) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Written by,
Papa Boyd
