Tag Archives: troubles

August 22

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Lamentation 3-4

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father.
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not.
As Thou hast been Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness. Great is Thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hands have provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Who doesn’t love that old hymn? If you get the chance, why don’t you look it up and read all the verses sometime? The language is dated, but the truth is for today.

The writer of Lamentations kind of sang this hymn in the midst of his sorrow. He looked around and saw the devastation and suffering, he felt the sting of God’s correction.

But in 3:22-24 he states that God is good and God is all he needs. There is hope in these words and if you continue to read you will see even more hope.

God doesn’t like to see his children suffer. In verses 40-42 the writer gets to the heart of it. The truth is, Israel sinned and is experiencing the consequences. Repent, the writer says. Return to the Lord.

If you are experiencing the consequences of sin in your life I would say the same to you. Repent. Return to the Lord. You will receive so much more than you ever imagined:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth.
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide.
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

August 21

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Psalms 102, 120, 137; Lamentation 1-2

There is a lot of heartache in these verses we read today. They may have been written after the fall of Jerusalem but I imagine if you have experienced loss or hardships you relate to at least some of what the writers are saying. I know I did.

Have you ever felt God is out to get you? The writer of Lamentations said, “The Lord is like an enemy.” (2:5) How can that even be? Isn’t he the God of love and the giver of good things?

We aren’t fighting the flesh and blood battles Lamentations is talking about. But we can be battling wars as devastating. Depression, unfair treatment, alcoholism, pornography, self-pity. You can add your battle to the list.

And in the midst of that battle we might feel like God is leading the attack. 

Here’s what I believe is true according to Scripture. God created us with the ability to choose. And he wants us to choose him. But if we don’t, he “gives us over” to our choices. And he allows consequences to occur with the purpose of driving us to him.

That’s where he might seem like the enemy. 

We may be suffering because of our own choices or because of the choices of someone else. We may be even suffering because of the simple fact we live in a fallen world. I have a dear friend whose new-born granddaughter is experiencing some serious physical problems. I don’t believe that precious one’s illness is a punishment. But it is a circumstance God can – and wants- to use to draw that family, those friends, and hospital staff, to him.

But if sin is at the root of our battle today, I pray each of us will allow the circumstances do what God intends for them to do – cause us to repent and open the doors to fellowship with him.

I am reminded that God is zealous about your soul. And about mine. He will use any and all means to get our attention. He’s not the enemy. In fact, he wants to be on your side to fight the enemy. 

If your heart is broken today, I pray you will take inventory. If you recognize sin that needs to be confessed, do it. Ask God to forgive you. Trust him. Allow him to fill you with his Presence and give you hope and peace.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

August 8

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Jeremiah 51:1-64, 11:18-12:6

Who hasn’t felt like Jeremiah felt in chapter 12 at least once in their lifetime? You look around and see ungodly people being promoted over you, they have these perfect little families while your child is challenging you, they drink and smoke yet can run five miles a day while you struggle with a physical challenge.

“Why do the faithless live at ease?” you might ask with Jeremiah.

“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?” It’s like you finally get over one hurdle only to be slapped in the face with another, more difficult circumstance. And you just have no more energy to take one more step.

The other day I was reading another blog and the author wrote something that has stayed with me. She said, “Desperation is a great condition of heart for learning the faithfulness of God”. (Renee Beamer, sharingloveandtruth.org, “a battle of the wills”)

I don’t want to get into why there are some ungodly people who seem to get ahead and why some Christians struggle. But remember God isn’t interested so much  in the result of the race as he is in the race itself. 

What will you learn about God – about yourself as you meet the challenges of today? My prayer is that you will learn how utterly dependent you are on God and how wonderfully dependable he is!

August 4

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2 Kings 24:5-6, 8-9; 2 Chronicles 36:8-9; 1 Chronicles 3:10-16; Daniel 3:1-30, Jeremiah 9:16-21, 10:17-25, 12:7-17, 19:14-20:18

When we were little girls our dad could make almost anything fun. Even bed time. We could be sitting around the TV and when 9:00 came around he would often say… Shadrach, Meshach, TO-BED-WE-GO! We would giggle, thinking he was the most clever Dad in the world. I never read this story in Daniel without thinking about Dad, and being thankful for having been his daughter.

In reality, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego loved their Father, too. They were convinced that God was who he said he was and they trusted him with every moment of every day. They spoke some of the most powerful words recorded in Scripture:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O KIng. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

How is your resolve to follow God? I know some people who are facing the fiery furnace of horrific physical challenges, some of emotional pain, others financial or relational. 

Before they ever felt the heat of the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego determined to stay true to God. Then in the midst of the flames they were given the privilege of seeing Jesus right there with them. They kept walking. Jesus walked with them And God brought them out of their ordeal, whole.

I know. I know. God doesn’t promise that all of our problems will turn out like these three. Sometimes God’s provision is to welcome his children home. But I don’t think the lesson in this chapter of Daniel is about the result. I think it’s about the journey.

And in their journey, King Nebuchadnezzar saw Jesus walking with them in the furnace. Think about that one for a while and realize that God would like to reveal himself to others through your journey, too.

Do you trust God with today regardless of what it hands you? Are you determined to serve him even if you lose your job or your health or someone you love? I think what God wants us to see today is Jesus there in the furnace with the men. He wants us to be aware that he knows how hot it is because he is right there in your heart. 

You are not alone. If you know Jesus as your Savior he promises never to leave or forsake you no matter how hot things get. Trust him. And keep walking even if everything in you wants to give up. You may not see him, but Jesus is walking right beside you. 

And if you do, someone who needs him might recognize his presence in your life and find him as their Savior. 

Father, we give you today. May we trust you because you can be trusted. Thank you for promising to walk with us today, even in the midst of trouble. May we, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego determine to follow you whether or not the outcome is what we think we want. Help us to see you. And may others see you in our lives. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.</p>

July 12

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Isaiah 10:5-12:6, 28:1-29

Remember that the people to whom Isaiah was writing these word pictures were not looking forward to Christ’s second coming. They were looking forward to the physical birth of Jesus, the babe in Bethlehem. It’s true that the material birth and the spiritual second coming have parallels. But we are wrong if we think Isaiah skipped over Jesus’ coming in the flesh and jumped right into 2013 America.

From the beginning of time God has used hardship and trials to draw people to himself. When the nation of Israel was blessed for their obedience, the surrounding nations noticed. The surrounding nations also noticed when Israel was punished for disobedience.

God wants us to know he has a reason for everything that happens. And his reason is the salvation of souls. Whether it’s war in ancient Israel, or the battle in our own souls, God wants to reach the lost and he will do whatever it takes.

Isaiah 28:23ff uses the word picture of a farmer. He needs to work the soil, break up the clumps, level the surface. But there wouldn’t be a crop if he just continued to plow. The farmer stops plowing and sows seed. But he doesn’t just keep throwing seeds on the ground. Eventually he stops sowing and allows the plants to grow.

Then comes the reaping. When the reaping is complete, comes the threshing, the grinding, the beating to prepare the crop to be used to it’s fullest. It’s only after all of this that the crop can be kneaded into loaves and baked for bread or boiled to make tasty stew.

God is telling us that he will plow, he’ll sow seed, he’ll reap and thresh, he’ll put us over a fire until we are that finished work. It’s not always comfortable to be a crop. But our Farmer will do what it takes to produce people he can use to feed people who hunger for him.

Are you experiencing some reaping? Some threshing? Are you in hot water? Remember that God is shaping you into something beautiful. Trust him with the process.

June 30

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Isaiah 7:1-10:4, 17:1-14

Isaiah has some bad news for the flesh and blood kingdom of Israel. Their days are numbered. They will acknowledge God and fear him once again but it will be under some pretty awful circumstances.

Then Isaiah introduces them to Jesus. 9:6&7 promise the King who will sit on David’s throne and reign forever. Isaiah continues to talk to them about God’s wrath which will come to them. But the seed has been planted. Jesus is coming.

As I look for a spiritual application from today’s scripture I am reminded that no matter how bad things get in this lifetime, we who live after the cross realize the precious Truth in the titles Isaiah gives the Savior. Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Everlasting Father! Prince of Peace! And he shall reign forever and ever. (Thank you Handel for the beautiful music running through my head this morning)

There is no one like Jesus. There is no God like our Heavenly Father. There is no peace like that which comes from knowing Him as Savior.

I hope you go to church today where Jesus is proclaimed as God in human form, Savior of the world. Let’s just stop and worship God today in all his holiness and splendor. Let’s praise Jesus!

April 17

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Psalms 5,59,133,34, I Samuel 21:1-15, 22:1-5, I Chronicles 12:8-18

Saul was actively searching for David in order to kill him. David had to leave his home and hide in a cave. He knew he had done nothing wrong to Saul, yet here he was – running for his life.

In the midst of this turmoil David was able to write some pretty encouraging words. Here are a few of them:

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”

“O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”

“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”

“O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.”

Later he wrote:

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

and:

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

“A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”

God is reminding me today that he is greater than anything this world can throw at me. I am not a righteous person in and of myself. I am a sinner saved by grace and when Jesus came into my heart he put HIS righteousness on me as though it was my own. 

So because of Jesus, when I cry out the Lord hears me. When I have troubles he makes himself known and helps me in the midst of those troubles. It’s not because I’ve cleaned myself up. It’s because Jesus stands in my place.

Satan is the Saul in our life. He is actively searching for us in order to destroy us… me. He would steal our joy, cause us to doubt, make us think a little sin doesn’t hurt anything. We have done nothing wrong to Satan, yet he is out to destroy us.

I have shared that I am grieving the loss of my sweet nephew and dear father. Both men have been gone less than a year. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about them and miss them. There have been days when I found it hard to get out of bed, to breathe.

But during this grieving I can honestly say that God has been my refuge. He really has been my strength. I can say with David, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” When I “…sing of (God’s) strength, in the morning I will sing of (His) love”, even when my spirit is crushed, he reminds me that I really do have reason to praise him. As hard as it’s been to lose Dad and Geoff, I am reminded how blessed I am to have had them in my life. They will forever be a part of me. I thank God for that.

My prayer today is that whatever battle you are facing, you will have the same confidence in God that David had. May we all know the sweet release of allowing God to be our Strength.