What is Your Reaction in Time of Trouble?

Many of us always praise God so loudly and joyously when all is well, but what happens when trials come our way. Do we still praise our Maker or do we pretend He never existed? The Lord has said in the book of Psalms (50:15): “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me”.

It isn’t anywhere! You could be a Christian or non-Christian, but life does not promise to be smooth all the time. There are bound to be difficult times, but how we face our problems shows how good Christians we are. Psalm 54:7 says: “For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon my enemies”.

We could lose a job, we could be bereaved, we could be extremely hard up, we could even be abandoned by brethren, sisters, friends and family, but we have to remember that the Creator knows and understands why things happen to us in that way. Again, the book of Psalms says (86:7): “In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me”.

In times like these we must never give up, but keep thanking God for our life. If there are instances that beat our imagination, we must talk to Him, ask Him questions, tell Him everything. After all He is a FATHER who loves His children more than we can know; He knows all our problems, see Psalm 91:15; “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him and honour him”.

If times are hard and almost unbearable, remember that tough times never last for ever. Also remember that it is when things are almost out of control that the love of God is at its best, yet it remains hidden to us because our hearts are troubled. So always we must have faith in the Lord: “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead” (Proverbs 11:8).

What am I driving at? The question here is that we should not have let problems or difficulties affect us. If faced with trying moments, don’t let us tell God how big your problems are, but know how great our God is to solve our big problems.

Keep trusting and praising God in good times and in bad times for there is power in praise and worship to the Lord: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6)’ The book of Nahum (1:7) says: “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble and He knoweth them that trust in Him”.

If there are no problems in our lives we can hardly appreciate the goodness of God. It is when we have been through problems and have been saved that we appreciate our salvation.

I thank God for the mountains, I thank God for the valleys, I thank God for the storms He has brought me through. If I had never had a problem, I wouldn’t know my God could bring me through. I wouldn’t have learnt to trust in Jesus; I wouldn’t have learnt to trust in God; I wouldn’t have learnt to depend upon His word.

Encountering problems is something that comes in life, it is inevitable. Don’t let us be perturbed if things seem harsh and look as though the world is tumbling upon our head. Even our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, was tempted, having fasted for forty days and forty nights. He did not give up but trusted in his FATHER who strengthened him. So in all situations we must give thanks and don’t let our problems divert us, but let us remain steadfast in the Lord; He makes all things beautiful in His time. “O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble” (Isaiah 33:2).

 

Photos from Namibia: Top, Left to right: Brothers. Godson Mulisho, Kashindi Ndubula, Sis.Machozi Cecilia and her two daughters, Jean Claude, Mapendo, Dunia M. Pascal and Kitego Shungaza

Below, Bro. Godson Mulisho with the Osire Sunday School children

 

Bro. Joseph Oppong (Shama Junction, Ghana)


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