Welcome to “Going Deeper with the Word.” In this segment, we welcome people of all backgrounds, religious or not, to review the Word of God. The Word of God provides guidance, direction, and instructions for living our lives and walking with God.
Today, we examine how God’s Word provides clear guidance and direction about trusting in Him in difficult times.
Let’s review examples from God’s Word that can lead and guide our steps and back up the principles we learned in today’s message. I will read scripture today from the Amplified Bible.
If you are watching this message online, we invite you to share your comments as we review each verse.
Here is our first verse.
Constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],
Romans 12:12
This excerpt from the apostle Paul explains the posture we should aim for in the time of difficulty and, in his words, ‘distress’. We should aim to be patient, rejoicing in hope and devoted to prayer.
We see emphasis in this verse of the reason for hope – which is our confidence in Jesus Christ and the focus of prayer being the action we take when we are seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength.
When we turn to the Lord in prayer, we can know that He will orchestrate events in such a way that we will receive the guidance and direction we need. God knows we don’t always know what is best, so He will provide that guidance and wisdom when we trust in Him to provide it.
Question: Think of a recent time that you were experiencing extreme difficulty in your life. Did you pray for guidance and direction? Think of a time that you were experiencing difficulty, and you did not pray. Did you notice any difference in the outcomes of each situation? Let us know in the comments.
Let’s have a look at another verse.
And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.
Psalm 9:10
In this verse, King David speaks of the importance of seeking God. We all have free will to do as we wish whenever we choose. God does not control us or our decisions. It is for this reason we can experience such a powerful experience with God when we -choose- to place our trust in Him.
When we place our trust in God, we acknowledge that we -can- make any choice we desire, but choose to yield to God instead, knowing that His’s wisdom is best.
Question: Think of a time that you faced a challenging situation and successfully resolved the problem without prayer or asking God for help. If you had to do it over again, would you ask God for His guidance? Explain why or why not. “Let us know in the comments”
Let’s look at one last verse.
I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]
Philippians 4:13
I selected this verse to highlight the apostle Paul’s mention of his ability to accomplish anything – only – because of what the Lord can provide.
When we live out our lives, we can become caught up in the idea that we can only accomplish a goal if we determine all the ins and outs to a solution on our own. This verse highlights the fact that we can achieve anything -that is God’s will-.
Naturally, our will and desires may not align with God’s will and desires for us, but God’s will is perfect. I have personally done my best to share my heart’s desire to God, but be in a posture to yield to His will. This has not always been easy, but I have seen what I believe to be God’s will take form time and time again in a fashion that is far better than what I could have dreamed or imagined on my own.
I truly encourage everyone to consider that God knows best in every circumstance, especially difficult circumstances. The best thing we can do is to be prepared to act in the best way we know how, but include God at every step of our walk through a challenging time.
Question: Can you think of a goal or milestone in your life that you want to achieve but don’t know how to accomplish it? Would you bring it to God to ask Him to guide you, including guiding you away from that goal if He knows it is not aligned with what He knows is best for you? “Let us know in the comments”
Trusting in God when things are difficult can be difficult in and of itself. We must learn how to practice trusting God. It is a level of trust far greater than trusting anyone on earth. It is trusting in the unseen, knowing that His spirit is intertwined with our soul.
If you are experiencing difficulties or challenges in your life, turn to God. He already knows every detail of every person involved. He knows all of the possible outcomes. He knows infinitely more than you will ever know. Let this truth be among your reasoning: that the best thing you can do is surrender your life to God and ask Him to show you the way.
Thank you for your time in reviewing these verses with me today. Please be sure to share in the comments how these or other examples of God’s Word have helped you
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Have an amazing week, and we will catch you next time.
Bless you.
