Looking at what is going on all over the world at the present moment, all we see is a chaotic world. And even though we are seeing things that we have not seen before happen and there is panic everywhere, we still have a God that is aware of all things, for He is a God that does not slumber nor sleeps - Psalm 121: 2 - 4.
In this realm that we are in and with everything that is going on, not only in our nations but in our individual lives as well, God said to us in:
John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.
The darkness can never overtake the light that is shinning through Jesus Christ who is the Light of the world. And as we continue in Him, the light in us will always overcome every dark situation in our nations and in our lives. God is good and we are blessed as we take our refuge in Him.
The goodness of God will always surpass every bitter situations in our lives, He makes every bitter experience to become a sweet experience and He is also able to see us through every experience that we are going through and will go through in life.
Jeremiah 32:27
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.
God through His Son has made all things beautiful. And as we focus on Him, He will turn the bad situations into a good one or better one that will not overcome His light that is in us.
God loves us and He as us in the palm of His hands:
Isaiah 49:16
Indeed, I have inscribed [a picture of] you on the palms of My hands;
Your city walls [Zion] are continually before Me.
See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.
John 10:29
for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
Isaiah 49:14 - 15
Yet Jerusalem says, The Lord has deserted us;
the Lord has forgotten us.
Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!
God is very conscious of everything that is happening in our lives and in our world and like He said to us in:
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
Jesus knew the reason why He came and the day before His crucifixion, He went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray for He was in pain, Therefore, for Him to be strengthened He had to be in a place of prayer and in the garden, He prayed this prayer in the book of;
Matthew 26:36 - 56
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, Sit here while I go and pray over there. And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done. And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.
Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane
And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him. Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
But Jesus said to him, Friend, why have you come?
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
But Jesus said to him, Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?
In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
We can see here that Jesus went through agony in this place of prayer and was in so much pain that He had to say the same prayer three times, sometimes in our lives and in our prayer times we also go through such times and we need God in His goodness to strengthen us, we cry out to Him and groan in our spirit. He knows what we are going through and He is ever present to help us in our time of weakness.
Job's painful experiences
Job 1
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and [a]shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.
And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.
Satan Attacks Job’s Character
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, From where do you come?
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?
So Satan answered the Lord and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!
And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Job Loses His Property and Children
Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; and a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!
While he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:
Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
This is a good example of been in pain that we also can go through in life and the goodness of God helped Job through it all. Like He did in the life of Job I believe that He desires to do much more in our lives as we give Him our problems in our prayer time. But let's remember that Job did not give in to the plan of the enemy in that pain but He looked to God his redeemer.
Another example of the goodness of God in times of pain is the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis chapters 37 - 50 and once again God brought sweetness out of a bitter situation. God will always show up in our times of need if we can call on Him in those times.
There are some bible verses in the word of God that will encourage us in times of pain.
Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
Psalm 107:6
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Peter 2:9
Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,
Joel 2: 25 - 27
So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame.
Psalm 40:17
But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
Therefore, God in HIs faithfulness will always keep us in our time of distress. I also believe that God would not want us to be downcast for a long time. He wants us to trust in Him and know that in all things God will work all things out for our good according to - Romans 8:28.
It is sometimes difficult to trust God when we do not see things going our way but God is forever behind the scene, It will always look as if we are on our own but God is there and He is perfecting things out for us all - Psalm 138:8; Psalm 18:30; Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Corinthians 7:1.
The goodness of God will see us through in every situation of life and God will always be there to hold us up with His right hand.
Scriptures on the right hand of God:
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Isaiah 41:13
For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.
Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The right hand of God is a hand of power and might, God Himself is All - powerful, and He will be with us holding us up with His right hand to save us, help us, and silences the enemies of our life. I want to imagine Him holding me up with His right hand at all times, especially in times of trouble. we need to do our part by taking hold of His right hand and trusting that in His unfailing love we will delivered from all trouble.
God's goodness is always available to us and He is ever present to stretch out His hand to us, in taking hold of His hands we can never fall, because He is our heavenly father that wants to be there for us His children.
God is good .
Remain blessed in the Father's goodness and be lifted up from that place of despair, Amen
