‘When you pass through the waters I’ll be with you and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you; when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2 NIV)
Life is not always easy
It’s a journey with ups and downs, also when you are a Christian. When you said ‘Yes Lord, I believe… I want to follow You… maybe somehow you thought life would become easier. Do you recognize this? What a disappointment then when you realize that this is not the case, on the contrary… Sometimes it seems like your life becomes even more difficult than before… No, life is not a rose garden.
Trouble can come your way when you least expect it and you feel overwhelmed and confused. You struggle. You don’t understand and wonder: ‘But God… what’s going on? Didn’t I hear You right? I was supposed to go this way, didn’t I? I heard Your call and You confirmed it. I gladly chose to follow You and pursue the calling You have for my life and now… it is dark and difficult and it seems You are silent and distant. Did I make a mistake? Did I miss an exit and go the wrong way? Was it just my own idea and did I hear it wrong?
God is there
It is my experience that God does not always answer those questions; He is there, but does not always answer. When you are in such a situation… don’t close the Bible, keep on trusting Him, no matter what! No, He did not promise us an easy life, but what He DID promise in Isaiah 43:2, that… when we go through deep water, or when we walk through the fire (difficulties, suffering, hardship, struggling)… He is with us! Life can be hard, but we will not drown, the flames will not set us ablaze. Look for the many promises in the Bible where God says: ‘Be strong and courageous, I will never leave you, nor forsake you’ (Deut. 31:6).
The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand (Ps. 121:5)
Hold on
Trust God and keep on trusting Him, because what He says is true. The evangelist Corrie ten Boom used to say: ‘Never doubt in the dark what God has told you in the light.’ Hold on to Him… and you know what? When you overcome, when you have passed through that dark valley and look back, you will see that you have learned so much. Trying times are never wasted. You will have a new understanding of His love for you and the things you learned through your struggling become a world of encouragement to others, when you testify of God’s faithfulness.
No, life is not a rose garden, but certainly worth to live it, together with Him.
God bless you and keep you and shine His light on you.
Read also: Your saving presence
