Let’s face it: somedays, life can be hard and things just aren’t rosey. Circumstances unforeseen can pop up right in the middle of all that you already have going on. I don’t even have to name those circumstances, because your mind just went to the trials you’re facing, or the ones you’ve been through. In the midst of hard-life-days, it can be difficult to do the normal things or to make things feel normal for the family.
My family has been in a rough place for the last 6 weeks now and it has been hard. We’ve had few ups and whole lot of downs, and it’s been hard to create a new normal for my family. I have had to be intentional about fixing my eyes upon Jesus, knowing that He alone is the cure to life’s ails.
One day, while scrolling through social media, there was one Scripture that was posted over and over again, by several different people, and on different social media platforms. So I thought, “Huh, I better pay attention to this!” So, I pulled out my Bible and thanked the Holy Spirit for His comforting me.
“. . . rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; . . .”
-Romans 12:12
Three things for me to do–but am I doing them? The subtitle in my Bible for this section of Scripture is called “Christian Behavior”. Wow! So, even in my tough times, there is still a way I am expected to behave because I am a child of God. My first thought was: As a parent I still expect our children to behave in a way that’s in line with our family’s goals, and who we say we are, even when they’re having a bad day? This isn’t any different.
Well, I realized that I was only doing one or two of these things at a time, and at times none at all. But, as a Believer, I need to do all three consistently. Yep, I know–easier said than done for sure, but seeing these words gave me a goal, a target, a way to focus on the goodness and faithfulness of God.
Rejoice in hope
I can choose joy, and choose to remain joyful, knowing that my hope is in Christ, and not in my circumstances. I can joyfully put my faith in Christ, that He will be the One to see me through. The reality is that my joy and my hope do not lie in the things of this world, they aren’t dependent on my feelings of happiness or sorrow. My joy and my hope are in the Lord alone who is a good and loving Father, willing to bless His children; a Faithful and True God who never fails.
Be patient in my trial
This one was a bit of a doozy! Who doesn’t want their hard times to be over as soon as possible??? What helps me is to focus on the goodness of God throughout this trial: I have food, water, clothing and shelter; I have my entire family alive and well with me; I am clothed in my right mind; I have a measure of health and strength; God has prepared a place for my family and protected us in the midst of a storm. . . In other words, I have to stop and count my blessings. I have to stop and recall God’s faithfulness to me over the years. When I begin to reflect on His goodness, I am reminded to patiently wait on His timing. If He brought me through before, He can do it again!
Continue to pray without giving up
There have been days when I’ve felt so distraught that I didn’t feel like I knew how to pray. There are times when the tears will flow, but there are no words. Other times, I was like a broken record and all I could utter was, “Jesus help us. Lord, help us.” Some days, there is more clarity and I’m able to pray with great detail, long and hard. Other times, I would have to force myself to stop worrying and pray instead–pray, pray, pray. No matter what it may look like or how it may sound, all of these count as prayers to the Father. The point is this: don’t stop praying!
Therefore humble yourselves under
the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time,
casting all your care upon Him,
for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
“And the prayer of faith will save the sick,
and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Confess your trespasses to one another,
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours,
and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain;
and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.”
James 5:15-17
Prayer is our tool of communication with the Lord, it is a release from our burdens, and it is a gateway of power. Prayer changes things. As the old hymn says, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. . .”
Be encouraged, stand strong, have faith in God.
