“Trust is the Lord with
all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways
acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
Have you ever heard the
saying; “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”? As Christians there
will be times in our lives when indeed the going gets tough. We are not exempt
from illness, misfortune, tragedy, or sorrow. But how we handle these
situations can be a witness to others who do not have our hope. How do you get
going when the going is tough? Let me give you some encouraging thoughts on
this subject.
The first thing during a
time of crisis is to pray and ask others to pray for you. Tell God about
everything and pour out your heart to him. Jesus was in a crisis in the garden
when He went to pray before his crucifixion. He asked his friends to pray also.
He asked God to take the cup away from him, meaning his approaching death, but
then He said to God, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39 NIV).
We should always pray that God’s will be done in any situation just like Jesus
did. Then we need to trust Him with the answer, knowing that His will is best.
Second, stay calm. I know
that this is very difficult, because the very word crisis brings about terror
in your soul. But staying calm can happen if you trust God to give you the
strength you will need for this time of upheaval in your life. There have been
times in my life that God’s peace filled me when otherwise I would have totally
lost control of my emotions. I promise that in difficult situations if you
trust God and pray, He will give you the strength and peace to meet your
difficulty in a calm manner.
Finally, keep on trusting
that God has this situation in His hands. He knows the outcome, and He can make
everything good. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of
those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28
NIV).
Dear Lord,
We know that life is filled
with unpredictable circumstances that are out of our control. Help us to
believe that you are with us and will give us the strength and peace to handle
these situations in a way that is a good witness to others.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
