Proverbs 3:5 tells us to trust God and not to lean on our own understanding. However, we all possess the innate tendency to mentally and emotionally define or shape our understanding from our own experiences. Listen, I’ll be the first to admit that I am still learning that the sum total of all my previous and present circumstances in this broken world cannot define my all-powerful God.
That said, God is unequivocally bigger than any hard, hurtful, and/or struggling thing I may face in the past, today, tomorrow, or the next day! And, as I continue to grow through my challenges, I am reminded that we all have a choice in the matter. We can continue to stare the hard stuff in the face, taking in all of the moments that crush our spirits and dwell on all the what if’s and why not’s. OR, we can dare to stare into the eyes of our powerful Savior; Jesus Christ! Do you remember what happened in Matthew 14:28–31 when Peter chose the latter? Need I say more…..?
The good news is that despite our ambiguous nature God is faithful and He’s the One that sticks closer than any brother (Proverbs 18:24) as we walk through the darkest of valleys, He is the One that gently lifts us up when life has knocked us down (Ps 145:14), He is the One who has promised to always stay, even if no one else does (Heb 13:5), and He is the One who is love embodied, unchanged by our questions and wandering amidst the hard moments of life (Heb 13:8).
Additionally, He is the One who is a steady hand when we grow weary, a hiding place when the world threatens to overwhelm us, and our strength when we have grown far too weak on our own (Ps 91). We may not always know the what God is doing, but we do know what He has done (the Bible).
My brothers and Sisters, Nahum 1:7 confidently says, “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him.” Therefore, as we face difficult moments in life, remembering His proven track record should sustain us through the storm(s)! May we faithfully recognize our Savior who ultimately made a way for us, and the One who is good, ALWAYS, even when what we currently face doesn’t feel so good. Though we may never understand why He does not change our circumstance, that does NOT change HIM. He is still the faithful One, loving, compassionate, and trustworthy. The bottom line it’s always in our best interest to remember that God is good even when life isn’t fair, kind, or gentle!
4GIVEN 