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How Can God Help When Trials Come? Part 2 |
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BIBLE STUDIES (Newest ones are last) |
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Part 1: How Can God Help When Trials Come? |
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Squashed But Not Dead |
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God Delivers |
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| 10/5/09 Squashed But Not Dead |
| "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but
not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,
that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." 2Cor 4:8-10 |
| As I started saying in the welcome message, I took a
three year sabbatical from working here at the Clarion Call. I had a
spiritual crisis. All of a sudden I was just not sure if I could hear
God's voice any more. During that crisis I just plain fell apart. I panicked and started to wonder if I had ever heard God's voice. Of course, the alternative was that I was crazy, so I explored that theory for a short time. After all, there are those that say that I am. I cried out to God, asking Him what I did wrong. After all, I thought, it had to be something I did wrong. Then I got to a point where I just tried to ignore God. I was confused, hurt, mad, and sad. (I'm giving you the nutshell version, so you are only getting the highlights. After all, it was over three years of time!) In the meantime more disasters began to fall on my family and myself. I felt myself slipping into depression. My brain began to shut down to hide from the world. Some incredibly awful things happened during that three years yet I was never totally crushed. My friends were in awe that I was able to do as well as I was in the face of such adversity. I was pretty amazed myself. I was not allowing the depression to take me all the way down. I was not getting hysterical and I wasn't giving up. I was meeting each challenge head-on. I had a super-natural strength. I was "troubled on every side yet not distressed", I was "perplexed but not in despair", and I was "cast down but not destroyed". In spite of the fact I couldn't feel God's presence, He was with me. I kept reminding God that He promised to never leave me or forsake me (Heb 13:5, Deut 31:6 & 8), like it was God and not ME that needed reminding! I listened to praise music even though I found it hard to praise Him. I didn't pray much, but tried to pray. I read my Bible off and on even though I felt disconnected from the Word. I contemplated how easy it would be to pretend everything was all right. I could start up the weekly Bible studies and answer my emails with things that I felt were right. I could push all the doubts and questions into the back of my mind and forget them. Nobody would know, right? Wrong! God would know. Then, ultimately, you would know, too. So, the last few months I found myself being drawn back to God. I received a bunch of emails from people saying how much things at the Clarion Call had helped them. It was then that I felt God nudging me along. I began to set my alarm clock to get up an hour early in the mornings to seek His face. The trials I have gone through (and am still going through) are for a reason. I'm thinking the enemy began to get worried when he saw me preparing to come back to the Clarion Call. Can God stop the attacks? Yes, absolutely. Why doesn't He? I've gained knowledge about things. I've become stronger. I've improved spiritually somehow. He allowed them to happen. I don't understand it all, but it isn't for me to understand. I'm just glad I kept bouncing back from the attacks. It felt like someone was smashing me flat but that feeling only lasted a short time. I bounced back each and every time. Does that mean I'm made out of holy rubber? Maybe so. OK, that's the end of this Bible study. I'm out of here. Bounce Bounce Bounce Bounce Bounce Bounce Bounce Bounce  |
| Link to 10/5/09 welcome message |
| 9/5/25 God Delivers |
| "Because he hath set
his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high,
because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long
life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." Ps 91:14-16 |
| This is God talking about me,
you, and all the others who love Him. All these things are true
because we love God! Notice the bad news, though. "I (God)
will be with him in trouble". We WILL encounter troubles in
our lives. It won't be smooth sailing BUT....it says He will deliver
us....twice it says that. God cannot lie. I've been going through trouble for a week, when will delivery come? I've been going through trouble for a YEAR, when will delivery come? What is taking so long? Wait, this time of trouble...it could also be called tribulation. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience". Rom 5:3 How is it I've been able to be so sure God will deliver even after a long time? He delivered me after nine years of my being in the desert. Now I am in serious need of patience. I am stronger and able to have the patience I need. Did I mention that God's timing is perfect? He has known us since we were in the womb. Can He still know what is happening in our lives? Darn tootin' He can! He knows what our future holds. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jer 29:11 I found a very good study on the Jeremiah scripture that goes along with this study. 
Here.
Last, but not least I want to address the last line where God will satisfy us with long life. I plan on living a lot longer. I need to take care of my husband who has been diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment. (Of course, I am praying for a healing but am ready to step up if necessary.) I need to be alive and kicking when my son gets out of confinement in 2033. (Yeah, part of the trials our family has been facing.) Today I read in Isaiah where King Hezekiah was dying. He reminded God of the good things he had done in his life and God gave him fifteen more years! Is 38:1-5 WHOOOOP! That's me! I claim that as well! How about you? |
| Link to 9/5/25 welcome message |
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