Holding on in the Hard Times
Posted by Scenic City Women's Network on Sep 21, 2020
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
- I Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)
Miscarriage. Bankruptcy. Divorce. War. Death. Job loss. Business failure. Suicide. The list goes on. Tragic events like these are happening all around us and may have touched your or your family personally.
As I grieved with yet another friend suffering a miscarriage and lent a listening ear to a friend going through the anguish of bankruptcy, I was drawn to my knees. “O loving God, comfort my dear sisters during this time of pain. Give them an extra portion of your peace and strength to overcome the emotional trauma and help them to trust you for the long-term instead of questioning why.”
I think one of the most difficult things to do as a born-again Christian is to truly accept and live by I Thessalonians 5:18. I find myself sometimes asking, “Are you sure you meant in everything? I mean, we as humans can certainly not bring ourselves to give thanks for tragedy in our lives, can we?”
God has used other Christians’ powerful stories to encourage me to let the hard times drive me closer to, not further from, God. Barbara Johnson was a popular Christian author and speaker who had endured the deaths of two children, her son’s homosextual lifestyle, and a life-threatening accident that left her husband in a vegetative state. Joni Eareckson Tada is a quadriplegic from a teenage diving accident who became a well-known artist using a brush in her teeth. Reading how others have stood firm in their faith in the midst of tremendous hardship and difficulties inspire me to press on for the name of Christ.
Admittedly, I don’t understand the why behind everything God allows. Most of us like to be in control, and when we’re not, we feel a sense of helplessness. But that’s the key to God being able to use us. Only when He brings us to a point of total dependency on Him can we fully be used. And unfortunately, sometimes it takes some pretty firm measures to get our attention. My prayer for you is to surrender to what it is God has for your life, even if it requires enduring some hard times.
Reprinted with permission by the author. R: Standing on God’s Promises: Devotionals for Women, “Holding on in the Hard Times” Written by Jada Daves. pg.27.
