"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;" 2nd Corinthians 4:8-9 ESV
If you are like me you have probably asked yourself the following questions: Did Jesus really suffer like I suffer? Was He sometimes lonely like I am lonely? Was He really tempted like I am tempted? Was He often misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly?
The answer is a simple one: Absolutely He was! None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism, because God is developing within us the character of Christ, and, in order to do this, He must take us through all of the circumstances in life through which He took Christ through.
Does this mean God causes tragedy to happen? No, absolutely not. God is good, and He will not cause evil or do evil because if He did He would cease to be God. But God can absolutely use dark and stressful times for good. He'll use them to teach us to trust Him, to show us how to help others, and to draw us closer to other believers.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:8b-9, “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (NLT).
So, what should you do when you're going through difficult times? Should you separate yourself, pour ashes on your head and rip your clothes? Absolutely not! First, you have to refuse to be discouraged. Then, you remember God is with you. And second, you rely on God’s protection and guidance. Pray to Him and ask for wisdom and He will pour it out on you like warm water from a shower head. When we find ourselves in a difficult position or a hard choice lies before us we must go to the One who knows the outcome.
We all go through difficult times. The difference for those who believe in Jesus is not the absence of the shadow but the presence of the Light. And I promise His light is brighter than any darkness that our enemy can conjure up. And in that I am comforted.
If you are like me you have probably asked yourself the following questions: Did Jesus really suffer like I suffer? Was He sometimes lonely like I am lonely? Was He really tempted like I am tempted? Was He often misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly?
The answer is a simple one: Absolutely He was! None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism, because God is developing within us the character of Christ, and, in order to do this, He must take us through all of the circumstances in life through which He took Christ through.
Does this mean God causes tragedy to happen? No, absolutely not. God is good, and He will not cause evil or do evil because if He did He would cease to be God. But God can absolutely use dark and stressful times for good. He'll use them to teach us to trust Him, to show us how to help others, and to draw us closer to other believers.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:8b-9, “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (NLT).
So, what should you do when you're going through difficult times? Should you separate yourself, pour ashes on your head and rip your clothes? Absolutely not! First, you have to refuse to be discouraged. Then, you remember God is with you. And second, you rely on God’s protection and guidance. Pray to Him and ask for wisdom and He will pour it out on you like warm water from a shower head. When we find ourselves in a difficult position or a hard choice lies before us we must go to the One who knows the outcome.
We all go through difficult times. The difference for those who believe in Jesus is not the absence of the shadow but the presence of the Light. And I promise His light is brighter than any darkness that our enemy can conjure up. And in that I am comforted.
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