Trusting Through Troubling Times

July 6

How can we rely on God when times are so troubling? Economic woes, governmental woes, cultural woes, even spiritual woes engulf us. How can we simply believe God has everything that concerns us under control when everything around us seems so out of control?

Reflect for a moment upon the days of the early church, that amazing season in time when Christianity was thriving because lives were being transformed by the gospel of the God who became Man and not only dwelt among us but took upon Himself our sin and our shame and endured as His own the just penalty for our rebellion so we don’t have to.

At that pivot point in the world’s history, a powerful empire pitted itself against the fledgling body of believers. Men like James the brother of Jesus, Peter, Paul, all the apostles except John the beloved, and scores of unnamed Christians endured torture and death at the hand of Rome. They were crucified, they were beheaded, they were thrown to the lions, they were made the victims of the gladiators in the Coliseum!

And through it all, they relied on God! As Paul said in Philippians 4:19, which was written from a Roman dungeon as he awaited execution, “My God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Can we, in our tough times express that same confidence! Can we rely upon the God who “will never fail or forsake” (Hebrews 13:5) His people? Can we, too, trust in Jesus, not in circumstances?