“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” (Naham 1:7, NKJV)
Three truths about God. One, He is good. Why then do some people curse Him when they are in trouble? Blame Him when things go wrong? He might be the only good thing left.
Two, He is a place fortified against trouble. Instead of cursing and blaming Him, why not run to Him, the only safe place to be?
Three, He knows who trusts Him and who does not. We say we do, then tests comes in the crunches of life. Do I trust God for other people’s problems but have difficulty trusting when the same things happen to me? Do I say platitudes and fail to follow them myself? It is easy to “trust God” and tell others to do the same when life is smooth sailing. It is that “day of trouble” that tests faith.
It might not be a day like being in a car accident or finding out you have cancer. It might be one of those days when the car won’t start, the baby cries all the time, and you lost your keys. Trouble is trouble. The test is trusting Him all the time, not being a fair-weather Christian.
My mother trusted Him during storms. She’d say, “We must need it or we wouldn’t be getting it.” Her words sometime echo in my ear when any storm hits. Do I need this? Is God really in control of my life? Did He ordain this for me? Will I trust Him in even this?
Yesterday our pastor called to see how we are doing. I told him that I was fine, but added that maybe I was still in shock. He said it was more likely a strong faith. Is it? Or fatalism? Or a realization that there are no cures for my husband’s form of leukemia—even a naturopath told him they have nothing for CLL—and faith in God is the only option I have?
My husband is researching (with caution) all sorts of claims for this product and that herb. For the most part, the fine print rules them out. What is God thinking? Is this Bob’s ticket to glory? Or will He glorify Himself with a miracle cure?
I’m at peace, I think. Or am I like a duck, calm on the topside and paddling like crazy under the surface? I’m not sure what trust feels like these days, but this verse tells me that God knows my heart. He is good. I can hide in Him, and there in that stronghold is the best place to be, even with all of my uncertainties.
2 comments:
"One, He is good. Why then do some people curse Him when they are in trouble? Blame Him when things go wrong? He might be the only good thing left."
when we were finally trying to have a baby after all those years of waiting for my husband to be ready to be a dad, and then we found out that we couldn't concieve, someone complimented me for not giving up on God. I replied that you wouldn't compliment a drowning woman for grabbing a floating piece of wood ...
One author says that most Christians live such sub-normal lives that when someone comes along that is actually following the Lord the way we are supposed to, they are called a super-star!
My guess is that most don't realize they in over their heads??
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