Faith in Times of Crisis
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”
Psalm 61:1–4
The idea that a Christian will only receive good things from God and coast through life on a bed of blessings sounds good and draws large crowds and television audiences. But it is not the reality of life presented in Scripture. David, who was known as a man after God’s own heart, spent years running for his life. He was the number one target on Saul’s list, singled out for death not because he had done wrong, but because of Saul’s jealousy. Yet even on days when it seemed that everyone on Earth had turned against him, David clung to his faith in God.
Faith is not a barrier that prevents trouble from coming; it is a shield that keeps those troubles from conquering us. In the moments that challenge us the most, we sometimes feel that we must be strong. But victory is not found in our strength; it is only found in the power of God. Even the apostle Paul, to whom we look as a great example of the Christian life, knew what it was like to be pushed to the edge. He wrote, “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears” (2 Corinthians 7:5).
We sometimes think that if our faith were stronger we wouldn’t worry at all. But David was overwhelmed and Paul was troubled. We must understand that faith is not the absence of fear, but the continuance of trust and obedience.
Psalm 61:1–4
The idea that a Christian will only receive good things from God and coast through life on a bed of blessings sounds good and draws large crowds and television audiences. But it is not the reality of life presented in Scripture. David, who was known as a man after God’s own heart, spent years running for his life. He was the number one target on Saul’s list, singled out for death not because he had done wrong, but because of Saul’s jealousy. Yet even on days when it seemed that everyone on Earth had turned against him, David clung to his faith in God.
Faith is not a barrier that prevents trouble from coming; it is a shield that keeps those troubles from conquering us. In the moments that challenge us the most, we sometimes feel that we must be strong. But victory is not found in our strength; it is only found in the power of God. Even the apostle Paul, to whom we look as a great example of the Christian life, knew what it was like to be pushed to the edge. He wrote, “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears” (2 Corinthians 7:5).
We sometimes think that if our faith were stronger we wouldn’t worry at all. But David was overwhelmed and Paul was troubled. We must understand that faith is not the absence of fear, but the continuance of trust and obedience.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Faith in times of trial provides the strength to trust God until the victory comes.
No comments:
Post a Comment