TROUBLE DOESN'T HAVE TO STOP YOU!

There is no shortage of trouble in the world. If we don’t find trouble, trouble finds us. There came a point when Job exclaimed: “They come at me from all directions. They rush upon me when I am down.” (Job 30:14 NLT) Whether your trouble is connected to the consequences of your sinful disobedience, God’s refining purposes or the devil’s evil schemes, or in some circumstances a combination of causes, it makes life messy. It’s been my experience when trouble comes it’s not just one thing to deal with. I’ve got a lot going on in my life right, situations which are extremely challenging and complex. I am learning to lean into God’s grace in a whole new way. And then the other day we received four letters from the IRS, two which arrived via certified mail. Yeah, I didn’t have a good feeling about this. I opened one of the letters, which four copies, only to be informed I had been randomly selected for an audit. I guess there is a government program where they’re studying the tax process and it involves conducting random audits. It’s doesn’t mean anything was done wrong on my taxes it’s simply the luck of the draw. Ugh! I felt a little like Job: “They come at me from all directions.” 

For the past several blogs I have written on the theme: YOU CAN’T STOP TROUBLE! Today I want to conclude my thoughts on this theme and look at how to respond when trouble comes. When the trouble which comes into our life is primarily connected to God’s refining purposes, the way to respond is to SEEK God. The first seven verses of Second Chronicles 15 contain a challenge to seek God when facing trouble: “Then Azariah son of Obed, moved by the Spirit of God, 2 went out to meet Asa. He said, "Listen carefully, Asa, and listen Judah and Benjamin: God will stick with you as long as you stick with him. If you look for him he will let himself be found; but if you leave him he'll leave you. 3 For a long time Israel didn't have the real God, nor did they have the help of priest or teacher or book. 4 But when they were in trouble and got serious, and decided to seek God, the God of Israel, God let himself be found. 5 At that time it was a dog-eat-dog world; life was constantly up for grabs - no one, regardless of country, knew what the next day might bring. 6 Nation battered nation, city pummeled city. God let loose every kind of trouble among them. 7 "But it's different with you: Be strong. Take heart. Payday is coming!" (The Message) Did you catch verse 4? “But when they were in trouble and got serious, and decided to seek God…God let himself be found.” 

When God’s refining fire is operating in our lives, it’s time to “get serious…(and) seek God.” Whatever you do to draw closer to God, do that! The tendency and temptation is to pull away from God, whether it’s due to discouragement, despair, or disagreement with God. We get so consumed and obsessed by our trouble it takes our focus away from drawing closer to God. I think it’s important to seek God for God, not just because we want him to fix our trouble. So when you pray, you don’t have to focus all your attention on your trouble. Instead, pray for the needs of others, your church and the world. One of the things I say frequently, so some of you have heard this, is: “Instead of telling God how big your problem is tell your problem how big your God is!” When you fast, it doesn’t have to be because you want God to fix your trouble, it can be because you what to grow in knowing him and loving him.

When the trouble which comes into our life is primarily connected to Satan’s evil schemes, the way to respond is to STAND. Paul challenged the Christ followers in Ephesus with this: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”(Ephesians 6:13 NIV) In the original Greek, STAND, is a rich word: Histemi (his’-tay-mee) means ”continue safe and sound, stand unharmed, to stand ready or prepared; to be of a steadfast mind; one who does not hesitate, does not waiver.” (Strong’s Concordance) I want that kind of faith “when the day of evil comes.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 says:  (NAS) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable (NIV “let nothing move you”), always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

You can’t stop trouble, but trouble doesn’t have to stop you! Trouble doesn’t change God’s plans, his will for your life and my life. Trouble may cause a delay or a re-direct in God’s plans, but “the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” (Proverbs 19:21 NLT) We have God’s Word on it!