Beloved, there will be things that will happen in your life that will not seem fair or simply, have no explanation, but hold on God has a word for you today! As a baby Christian I made the mistake of thinking that once I gave my life to God I would not have any problems. Quite honestly, my life has been the exact opposite. It’s like the devil got a memo: “new Christian convert, prepare to attack!” I was truly persecuted on every side. In my formative Christian years I went through a season of bitterness because of the suffering I endured. At the time, I could not understand how a loving God could allow me to go through so much pain and hardship. It would be years before I would grow in Christ and mature in His word. The Bible says that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Moreover, Christians will endure the same trials, hardships, suffering, and even loss as the world, but the difference is we have a savior who gives us peace in the midst of the storm:
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27 NKJV).
Moreover, in God we have hope which the world doesn’t have! God may allow hardships in your life but you will not be defeated by them. All you have to do is call out to Him. At times of duress is especially when you need go to God. But some people do the opposite.They shut down and hope the problem will go away or try to solve the problem themselves. Some people find it hard to pray at troubling times, they may feel like their prayers aren’t being answered. In the beginning of my prayer life I struggled with some of the same issues. I would try to pray to God, but often felt like my prayers were bouncing off a wall, not getting through. But I desperately wanted to know the purpose for my life and the reason I kept going through so many trials so I persistently kept seeking His face. I now realize He had to allow me to go through some things, to perfect my prayer language. Have you ever been in so much pain that you’re desperate? That situation hurt so bad it brought you to your knees, prostrate before God like King David in 2 Samuel 12:1 when his son died? That pain was the key that unlocked my spiritual door! God had to allow me to get to the end of myself, my lowest point, only then would I be able to surrender all. When I hit rock bottom, that’s when I met God in my spiritual closet. That’s how I learned to intercede in prayer. Saints you have to learn how to press in. Don’t let your prayer life be dictated by emotions and feelings. I thought when I prayed I was supposed to feel God’s presence in a tangible way. Whether you feel His presence or not, pray on anyhow. We have to learn to keep praying until we breakthrough to heaven.
Oftentimes we approach our relationship with God the same way we do with human relationships. We have expectations of God to relate to us in a palpable manner. But the difference is, when we communicate with a physical human being we have the ability to gauge body language, facial expression, emotions; then we react accordingly. But when we worship God, it’s in spirit, there is no physical body to relate to so it requires a great level of trust. Trust that He hears us, trust what His word says, and trust that the situation is under His control. The devil will try to tell you God isn’t hearing you. He will do everything he can to try to distract you from praying or have you believe prayer doesn’t work. That’s why it is imperative that you make up your mind to emphatically trust God no matter what it looks like or feels like.
It also takes a certain level of persistence in prayer. Keep pressing in, pushing through until you get through to the spirit realm. Overtime you will notice your prayer life expanding into longer prayers times and deeper intimacy. I am a living witness of answered prayer, pressing through, touching the heart of God. Some things that I have prayed years for I have seen God unfold right in front of my very eyes! I cannot begin to describe the feeling when you see how God answers your petitions.
Beloved it’s a simple fact that suffering is tantamount to Christianity. You will go through peaks and valleys, mountains and tough terrain. I wish I could say it will be smooth sailing, but it won’t. There are just some things you must go through that only suffering will produce a kind of fruit in you needed to serve in God’s kingdom. A fruit that gives you a heart of compassion, a heart for people, and a hunger for God. If we examine the Apostle Paul’s life after his conversion from Saul, he was a zealot traveling from region to region proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ; but nonetheless, in 2 Corinthians 12:7,8 he pleads with the Lord three times regarding the thorn in his side. We all have a thorns, some prickly thorns, but beloved it’s those thorns that keep us humbled, that doesn’t let us swell up with pride and arrogance and that keeps us dependant on God.
I have learned it is really about your attitude when going through a trial. Do you complain, grumble and murmur like the children of Israel? Sometimes we shorten God’s hand on our life by being disgruntled. In the beginning of my Christian walk I spent too much time than I care to admit in the wilderness because of an unappreciative attitude. Overtime, what I was beginning to see through my trials was how God was producing character, patience and trust in me. It truly was bittersweet. That’s why the Bible tells us to glory in our tribulations:
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3,4).
For many years I struggled with this verse. I just could not juxtapose it to my misery. Why would I find glory in suffering? But After meditating on it, I learned it’s not that we are glad this bad thing happened to us but are glad because of the change in character it produced in us. We must learn to wait on God when we are going through dark seasons. Quite honestly I believe God allowed me to go through some things I went through because I was too impatient. Not only was patience a character trait I needed developed, I learned not to go ahead of God. I learned to wait on His timing, His deliverance, and His solution to the problem. When you take your hands off your problems and give them to God and learn to just rest in His peace that’s when you will begin to see how God is working things out in your life. Beloved, when you go through the fire a few times and come out unscathed, that’s when you will learn to trust God.
The more trials you face the more you will see God’s faithfulness and mercy on your life. It gives you a deeper conviction and fervor for Christ. It gives you a greater testament to the faithfulness of God. It gives you a closer more profound walk with God. Have you ever met somebody whose really been through something? Somebody who’s been to hell and back, and who God delivered out of the trenches of death? The anointing just emanates from them. It exudes the heart of God. Beloved, the book of Psalms was written out of that suffering.
I have to diligently remind myself to walk by faith and not by sight. Yes we hear that verse time and time again. But saints we must studiously incorporate it into our daily lives. Oftentimes I theorize Christians as soldiers going to the battlefield. We are gravely defeated if we aren’t suited for the war. All we have to do is show up wearing our armour but it is God who will fight the battle.
We cannot be complacent in the kingdom of God. We simply cannot just do nothing. Being a Christian involves constant change. We have to prepare ourselves in advance of attacks, and in the midst of an attack saturate ourselves in the presence of God.
These are tools for spiritual warfare that personally helps me when I’m faced with a difficult situation:
1. Meditate in the word: look up scriptures that pertain to your situation. It will not only take your mind off the problem but you will be actively committing scripture to memory.
2. Pray without ceasing. When you are going through a trial don’t just rely on others to pray for you, but you can get through to God as well. You must be proactive in your own Prayer life.
3. Books. Arm yourself with books by authors who have gone through what you may be going through to find out how they overcame the situation. Besides the Bible, we should carry Christian books with us at all times. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been encouraged and uplifted just from reading others’ testimonies in the midst of a bad day.
4. Praise and worship music. Beloved, God ministers through music! There has been many times God has ministered to my heart in song. There’s a sweet peace that rests in Christian music.
5. Podcasts/youtube. I love love podcasts and youtube. You can literally go to church right in the middle of your living room. At a click on the screen you can get a word for that situation you are going through. Sometimes all we need is a little encouragement.
6. Internet. With advanced technology, Christians today have it so much easier that there is just no excuse not to study God’s word. Just do a search on any topic for online inspiration.
Don’t take defeat lying down. As soon as the attack comes arm yourselves with your spiritual weapons and drown out the enemy’s voice. Moreover, I’ve learned to relinquish control and let God do His perfect work in my life. Yes there will be days when the enemy’s attack is vicious. Those are the times our Father is calling us closer to Him; to cast out, bind, plead the blood on His behalf. Oftentimes, that’s what it takes to get us out of complacency. To get us to be proactive instead of reactive. Moreover, there are things conspiring in the spirit realm that our physical eyes cannot see and mind cannot comprehend. If God only gave us a glimpse into the spirit world we would be terrified beyond measure. And lastly, how will you truly know God is a provider, redeemer, and healer if you never went through anything to see how He delivered you out! It should be our prayer that God would allow any fiery trials from the enemy that are meant to refine us. When you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders just know that God is working it out behind the scenes according to His plan…but for your glory!
I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25).
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