A couple weeks ago I was in church listening to a sermon about how much God wants to help us, and how He has answers for us in difficult times.
So far so good...
The man speaking was very encouraging because I could tell he knew that he knew how much God loved him. I enjoyed hearing hiis heart, but I couldn't help noticing as he went along... every example he used was about how God turned around a terrible situation and made him successful.
I like those stories because I like it when God intervenes in difficulty and challenges and 'saves the day' so to speak--especially my day.
A work situation turns around financially and I end up saving lots of money...
Someone I love who is sick gets healed...
A canceled flight turns into an upgrade...
Awesome stories. Love it.
But I guess I haven't experienced that so much lately and I was hoping he would touch on what is not so extraordinary about our lives.
A person who loses a job...
A person doesn't get healed...
My canceled flight turns into a couple of days of delay...
Where is God in those situations? Now what?
I guess lately I am more impressed with how we deal with unmet expectations, disappointment and even failure. Where is God in that? What can God do with that? Has he left the building??
Cause that's the place I live. That's the world we live in.
A friend of mine was discouraged recently, having problems learning Hebrew to the point of wondering if he should give up on his class altogether, and a 'friend' on his facebook had the audacity to write as an 'encouragement'saying: "Where is 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...?'"
When I read the comment, I thought of how our 'victorious Christianity' leaves no room for failure. It leaves no room for disappointment. We are either overcoming and winning some way or we are not doing it right at all.
But maybe, just maybe... overcoming is not so much about SUCCESS as it is about finding Jesus wherever we are, in whatever misery we find ourselves.
I'm not saying we shouldn't pray for an upgrade on a plane or that we should stop asking God for healing when it doesn't happen all at once. I would never say that. I am believing God for a full healing of my neck even though I have not seen it yet. And I travel a lot--and I am always claiming "surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life" wherever I go when I travel and it usually works out great. But how about finding God when things go terribly wrong.
I will give you a not-too-serious example of something God taught me ages ago.
More than 20 years ago I had my first experience with God preparing me for less than ideal circumstances. We were traveling to Singapore as a YWAM outreach team and I was praying on the plane and having time with God. I had this clear sense God said to on the plane as I was reading Oswald Chambers'good devotional My Utmost for His highest-- what if your luggage doesn't arrive?" Now I know this is not a big deal for some people but I was buying my clothes at XL stores at the time so even by western standards my size was hard to find--and this was ASIA where the people were miniature compared to me! So this was no little thing. I'm also a girl let's face it-- we worry about what we will wear...
I thought hard about this question. What would I do? And I made a choice. I will still trust you, God. That was my response. i will be thankful in all circumstances. And I had this sense of foreboding as the plane landed...
And sure enough...we arrive in Singapore and the luggage conveyor belt was going round and round with everyone else getting their luggage except for me. We waited and waited but it never came. I had suspected this was what would happen. God wanted me to know He knew about it--He was not surprised. Would I trust Him?
So I was stuck in a country of tiny people with only the clothes on my back. Somehow, I decided to trust and thank God in the midst of this. What I remember was feeling so much gratitude and so much thankfulness in my heart the whole time that I almost didn't care if my luggage EVER arrived. I felt so good. It was literally as though God had injected me with drugs because I was stupidly happy, like in that 'in love' sort of way people get when they can't stop smiling.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
The context of that scripture is 'endurance.' The Bible is nothing if not PRACTICAL. Our God knows we are going to face difficulties and struggles and mishaps and He promises to meet us IN THE MIDDLE of it all. He doesn't promise to solve every problem right away but to provide joy inexpressible in the midst of adversity.
My husband and I just moved to Berlin over two months ago. We sent off our container ahead of us with all our household goods and were hoping for it to arrive within five weeks. It took seven. And it cost us a whole bunch more money than we thought it would. But God was faithful enough to ask me to 'let go' of the extra costs in advance. I could hear Him whispering to me: What are you going to do if it costs more than you thought? I know that voice, I thought to myself.
In all things, give thanks.
I knew even if God didn't do it cost-effectively--He would still get it done. And I knew He could afford it, too. I am not a millionaire but God wanted me to remember that HE IS. It was a test for me in the midst of injustice, incompetence and the unfairness on the part of the companies we were dealing with--but God had His eyes on ME. What would I do? How would I respond? I couldn't control any of it but I could control whether or not I would believe in God's provision for me.
And I chose to thank Him for it before I ever saw it on earth. I'm grateful when God provides a miracle to solve my problem but even if He doesn't, I am grateful He gives me the strength to face difficulty confidently. I can face it knowing my God will make a way. It might not be my way, and it usually isn't. It may not be in my timing. But He is providing and I can have peace and rest in the 'in between' stages of when it's not here yet.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I can face difficulty and disappointment.
I can endure the waiting.
I can trust in God.
I can enjoy His presence when I don't understand.
In the midst of adversity, He is with me.
