This is crazy. There is so much bad happening in the world
at the moment. It’s enough to make you go crazy.
And it’s not just in one place, no. It’s everywhere. War, famine,
natural disasters, economic meltdown, and so on. You don’t
have to go far to know all the bad that’s happening in the world.
At times, the bad gets really overwhelming. It all feels so hopeless.
What is the answer in such perilous times and make no mistake
about it, we are in very perilous times. If you are not careful
your faith can get snuffed out by the bad that is happening around
you. I deliberately moderate the amount of news I ingest.
It’s guaranteed that if I spend a significant time watching the
news or reading it I will be left in a state of fear.
In times like these the prospect of heaven seems really
appealing.
“God will wipe away every tear from thier eyes; and death
shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and
mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions
and the former order of things have passed away. “
Revelation 21:4
I don’t know about you but I want that.
Things on earth can
be so diffcult so what is the answer?
Does God enjoy seeing us suffer?
Does He want us to have a hard life?
Does He have a plan in the midst of such tragedy?
I have to say, being born in Zimbabwe makes it a bit
easier to deal with what’s going on in the world. Our country
has gone through some incredible challenges which I have
talked about countless times. We have had to trust God
with everything we have got. The pressure we have
experienced has forged iron in us. The people who have
stayed and endured have come out stronger in faith.
God has a plan for keeping us in this broken world. In fact
I want you to see how imperative it is you endure all the
pain and hardships on this earth. Yes, we are just passing
through and yes we are not citizens of earth but we need
earth more than we think. Look at what James 1:2-4 says,
“Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are
enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into
various temptations.
But let endurance and steadastness and patience have full play
and do a thourough work, so that you may be [people]
perfectly and fully developed [ with no defects], lacking in
nothing. “
Let me be clear, without the trials, and pain we encounter
on a daily basis we would not be fully developed. That’s what the
word is telling us. There would be no endurance, patience and
steadfastness built into us. We would be incomplete without hard
times and storms.
(let that sink it for a bit)
We need heaven but at this moment we need to endure on
earth for a bit longer! You may be fed up with the craziness
that is happening all around you but hold on, don’t give up!
God has a plan and He is in control.
So when something crazy happens to you or you hear of
bad things happening in the world don’t fret or panic. Like
James said, we need to count it all joy when those things come.
Instead of destroying us those things make us grow into the
people God created us to be.
Don’t run away from trials and storms.
Look to the Lord.
In a world so broken God wants us to step up, not back down.
Let me say it again, without pain, without trials, without storms,
without hard times we will not be complete. We need not pray
for those times but when they come our way our trust should
be found in the Lord…..
He is a good God who is directing our every step through the
most intense darkness the world has ever seen.
Will you shrink in fear when you hear or read of all the craziness
happening in the world or will you allow God to build patience,
endurance and steadfastness in you??
That is the question….
Bless you!
Rolain
kingspeech 