Do you find yourself asking questions when tough times come like, Why has this come my way? or What did I do to deserve it? It has sometimes crossed my mind, Why me? when Im faced with what seemed like an insurmountable problem. Never allow negative thoughts to rule when you have the temptation to quit! I have learnt not to dwell on negative thoughts when I am tempted to quit. God knows that the battle for success is first won in the mind. In his instruction book, the Bible, he tells us how to overcome - Fix our thoughts on what is true and good and right. 1. The truth is, there is hope In the first chapter of the Bible we read how God created the world and said, It was good. The world was perfect when God created it. He then created man and woman and gave them free will. Our choices brought sin into the world. The perfect world he created was ruined and we now suffer from the effects of rebellion, selfishness and pride. God didnt abandon us to our choices. He sent his Son, Jesus, to this imperfect world to rescue us and give us hope of a better future. No matter what problems you are facing there is always hope. We all hurt. We all make mistakes. Thats life. Its a journey. God wants to help us in our journey. God either helps us by removing our mountain or giving us the courage and strength to climb the mountain. 2. The truth is, Jesus understands our struggles When we dont know what to do next, we can pray. Why pray? We pray because Jesus understands our suffering and he has told us to ask for his help. He said while on earth, 'Come to Me all who are heavy burdened.' God tells us that He can be 'our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.' He suffered greatly during his time on earth. You can talk to him because he cares about you and knows what you are going through. He knew physical suffering, rejection, betrayal, hunger, cold and sadness. He wept and even questioned God. The Bible describes him as a 'man of sorrows acquainted with grief.' Never doubt in the dark what you have learnt in the light. In a run-down Ethiopian hospital, two days journey from were we were working, I underwent exploratory surgery and was diagnosed with a large ulcer in the bladder. According to the doctor, who had seen several ulcers in the bladder in Asia, there was no known cure. Remembering to never doubt in the dark what you have learnt in the light, I turned to one of my favorite verses. Who is among you whowalks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor in his heart? Let him rely on, trust and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God. (Isaiah 50:10) What does it mean to trust or rely on God? Trusting in God is believing that he is big enough to bring good out of what is happening. It's when we wake up in the morning and say, God, I know you love me and answer prayer, so I thank you for answering my prayer today. Bill and I called on the name of the Lord to heal me. Three months later I was reassessed and there was no sign of the ulcer! Never give into temptation Life can be cruel and when we are down we often get beaten the most. We are most vulnerable when going through difficult times. To help you make wise choices, talk over decisions with someone in whom you have confidence. Had someone given us that advice years ago while under pressure, we would not have made an unwise financial choice. It's a choice to try to see the good in our situation, a choice to trust God even when we don't understand what's happening or why, a choice to respond to Him and not harden our hearts, put up walls and defend ourselves when we are tempted to do just that. It means relying on Him for direction, when we get it, obeying Him and continuing to trust that He knows best. As we have discovered, staying afloat through hard times is a choice we make, actually a series of choices as we go through our day. The solution to our particular situation may not come in the way we expect. The tough times you are facing may be leading you to what might be your most important choice. Download the 25 minute movie free. A right relationship with God may be the ultimate answer to many of the problems you face. Would you like to have a relationship with a powerful God who loves you and wants to help you? |
