When Trouble Knocks

Trouble comes in all forms -- family problems, financial problems, emotional stress, or personal illness, just to name a few. Sometimes it seems like an onslaught of bad situations, and other times it is little things that happen every now and then. Troubles are what we call them, but God calls them trials and testings.

May I pass on some good news? God is not sitting in the heavens saying, “How can I send chaos on My children today.” No way! He is the One who will make a way of escape. He is our Deliverer and our Rescuer.

I have quite a few friends who are really going through major trials: their children are using and/or selling drugs; two of the families are dealing with alcoholics; and one close friend is so badly stressed that she is on medication for depression and it isn’t helping. Now it is taking a toll on her physically. All of these women know, love, serve, and trust God, so what is going on? How do we all survive when troubles come our way? The answer is always in prayer and reading God’s Word.

The mind can mentally assess the difficulties and sort them out, but the heart can’t cope. I heard a pastor say in a sermon recently, “It is hard to wrap your heart around trouble when it pierces your soul.” What a profound statement! It is one of those statements that you want to tape to a mirror or to your refrigerator. I know I definitely want it to get down into my spirit.

We are not to cope with our troubles; we are to give them to God:

“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

If you cope, you hang on to it. If you give it to God, you can let it go.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

We see here that the Lord will comfort us, and that is what we need. Once we are comforted and pass through our problems, we will be able to help others. Next time trouble knocks at your door, send Jesus to answer it!