October 23

“These are times that try men’s souls” (Thomas Paine, 1776). And Jesus said in this world you will have trouble (John 16:33).

These past weeks we have seen trouble. We have been dealt an economic blow most of us were not expecting. And it is spreading around the globe threatening every nation. It seems impossible to lock out the incessant reports of bad news from the media. It seeps into our thinking and leads us to depression and discouragement. The result is often fear, panic, and inaction. We feel helpless under the assault of all that seems so bad. Our normal routine and expectations have been upset.

All of us feel these trying times. Dennis and I are watching investments fall, donations to FamilyLife drop dramatically, and are thinking hard about how and where to cut spending both personally and at work.

But do we forget in our fearful response to bad news that God is still in control? This has not caught Him by surprise. He knew it was coming just as He knows all that is yet to happen. 

And not only does He know, but is it possible that He has allowed it for our good?   Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? (Job 2:10)

Is it possible that He, in His sovereign will and providence, wants us to learn new wonders about Himself as we are forced to trust Him in ways we never have? Might He want us to have the joy of seeing Him provide in ways we did not expect?

One of my favorite heroines of the faith is Corrie Ten Boom, who, with her father and sister, hid Jews in a hiding place in their home during WWII because they believed God wanted them to preserve life. And how did God reward them for doing these deeds of courage and sacrifice and love? He allowed them to be hauled off to Ravensbrook concentration camp in Germany to experience depravation and a depth of suffering none of us knows. It was far worse than our current economic crisis. And yet in the midst of that suffering they experienced miracles of God’s presence, His provision and His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness in ways not possible in the comfort of their ordinary lives. 

God is always more concerned about our character than our comfort, our faith than our feelings, and our love for Him rather than our love for things. God is not afraid to use a little pain, or even a lot of pain, so that we might have the privilege of knowing Him and seeing Him at work.

Romans 8:28 says all things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to His purpose. May we remember He always has our good in mind. And may we, in our response to this present difficulty, be like Job about whom the bible says, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” It is good to give thanks in ALL things to our God.