Well, it happened again.
I turned the calendar from May to June and the temperature made its move from the high 80s/low 90s straight to the 100+ mark. I’m not sure why I’m surprised. It happens every year, and the weather gurus warned us it was coming. I guess I was just hoping that this year might be different. That spring would last a little bit longer and that summer wouldn’t come in quite as hot. But that is like thinking that people intuitively know how to stop a Segway or that hitting the elevator button multiple times will actually make it arrive faster. It just ain’t gonna happen. Heat is just a part of where I live.
As humans we often wonder/question why certain things do happen. Why young people have life threatening illnesses. Why good people lose their jobs. Why we are having certain problems. We question the fairness of it. We question the sense in it. We question and question.
As Christians, we sometimes, in the back of our minds, feel we should be immune from some of these harsh realities because “God’s got our back,” and we will escape unscathed. But we aren’t. Just like the heat comes to the Northstate on the heels of May, so trials and troubles come to everyone in a world that is fallen.
In fact, nowhere in the Bible (please correct me if I am wrong) could I find anything that said we would not face troubles and trials. Instead, I found the promise that we would face them.
“In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33)
Or as Peter told the Christians of his day, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (I Peter 4:12)
Peter reminded his fellow believers that not only would Christians face the troubles that beset the entire human race, but as followers of Christ, they would experience some added heat.
But what I also found was the promise that God was and is always there during these times.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1-3)
“The Lord is . . . a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Psalm 9:9-10)
But the absolute clincher is the rest of John 16:33 which I have bolded.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble . . . But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Now that should provide permanent relief from the heat.
I turned the calendar from May to June and the temperature made its move from the high 80s/low 90s straight to the 100+ mark. I’m not sure why I’m surprised. It happens every year, and the weather gurus warned us it was coming. I guess I was just hoping that this year might be different. That spring would last a little bit longer and that summer wouldn’t come in quite as hot. But that is like thinking that people intuitively know how to stop a Segway or that hitting the elevator button multiple times will actually make it arrive faster. It just ain’t gonna happen. Heat is just a part of where I live.
As humans we often wonder/question why certain things do happen. Why young people have life threatening illnesses. Why good people lose their jobs. Why we are having certain problems. We question the fairness of it. We question the sense in it. We question and question.
As Christians, we sometimes, in the back of our minds, feel we should be immune from some of these harsh realities because “God’s got our back,” and we will escape unscathed. But we aren’t. Just like the heat comes to the Northstate on the heels of May, so trials and troubles come to everyone in a world that is fallen.
In fact, nowhere in the Bible (please correct me if I am wrong) could I find anything that said we would not face troubles and trials. Instead, I found the promise that we would face them.
“In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33)
Or as Peter told the Christians of his day, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (I Peter 4:12)
Peter reminded his fellow believers that not only would Christians face the troubles that beset the entire human race, but as followers of Christ, they would experience some added heat.
But what I also found was the promise that God was and is always there during these times.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1-3)
“The Lord is . . . a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Psalm 9:9-10)
But the absolute clincher is the rest of John 16:33 which I have bolded.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble . . . But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Now that should provide permanent relief from the heat.
RSS Feed