Why is it we have this false belief that because we are believers, walking with Jesus, we are going to live this problem-free life? There are things that are going to come at us, shake our very foundations, and leave us dazed and confused at something we never saw coming. One moment we are flying high. We are serving God; all our relationships are strong and healthy; life is good. Then, BOOM! Everyone’s boom is different. We get called into our boss’s office and are told the company is downsizing and we have no job. One moment we’re laughing with our spouse and the next we’re calling 911 because they’ve fallen to the ground unresponsive. We go to the doctor for our annual physical and he finds something suspicious in his examination. We get a call that one of our children has been in an accident and is on the way to the hospital. That solid ground we’ve been standing on has started shaking and we have a split second to decide how we’re going to respond. David talked about this.
“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.[b]
6 “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
We can choose to put our hope in the Lord just as David did. God alone is our firm foundation. He is our solid ground. He is the only security we truly have. When our world is crumbling around us there is nothing else we can cling to because there is nothing else that can’t be destroyed.
How do we do this? We get to know him, spend time with him, commune with him, and trust him. We have to know God’s word and his character. When I was a new believer, I struggled with trusting God. I wasn’t even sure how to do that—how do you learn to trust? I really sensed the Holy Spirit whisper to my heart: Trust comes with time and consistency. Wow! That is exactly how you learn to trust! When someone or something is consistent over a period of time, you learn to trust. God is faithful. Always. The longer we walk with him we see that faithfulness in our own lives. Sure, we’ve read in the bible how he’s been faithful in other people’s lives, but we get to see it in our own life.
Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
So . . . these trials come into our lives. And maybe we don’t weather them very well. Maybe you find yourself struggling with believing God is good. That is exactly what Satan is waiting for. He is just waiting for the opportunity to say to you: “Did God really say . . .?” because he wants to deceive you and question what you thought you knew in your heart. That doubt can take us into a pit of despair! This is why it is so important for us to be in community with other believers who truly know us. We must allow ourselves to be transparent. In those moments of weakness, we need them to remind us of God’s faithfulness, of his goodness, of his promises. We need to encourage each other daily. Our voice of encouragement needs to be louder than the lies. I love the wording in this verse, “as long as it is called “Today” because every day we wake up is today! So there is never a day we don’t need encouragement from God, from His word, from our fellow believers and to do likewise to others. Look around at the people God has brought into our lives. Who needs encouragement? I guarantee someone does. We are talented actors, showing the world everything is okay—on the outside; but inside, we’re a mess. If you pray and ask God to reveal someone who needs encouragement, you’d be surprised who he brings to your mind.
Our world as we know it can be changed in an instant. We will never be immune from it this side of glory. What we need to survive is something unshakable in a world that can be so easily shaken. Jesus is the answer. That is where we start. Call out to Him, ask Him to be that stability, that immovable object in your life. Then, encourage others to do likewise.
Have you ever noticed that whenever there is a big storm brewing, the newscasters always start telling you how to be prepared ahead of time in case it hits? The wise thing to do is take heed of their advice. Maybe the storm will hit, maybe it won’t. Maybe you’ll have an earth shaking trial in your life, maybe you won’t. Isn’t it better to be prepared? You can’t lose by putting your hope in the Lord!
Lord, thank you for being immovable; trustworthy; the Person I can always count on. I can cling to you no matter what. You are unshakeable in a world that is easily shaken. I pray for those who are struggling even today, Father, that someone will encourage them. They will bring your light into their dark place. If there is someone in my life, let me help them grab on to you for dear life as we cannot survive without you. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. In His name I pray!
Cindy (gardnlady)
Sixty-six books in a year 