In the darkest days, we must remember Jesus is good. He always seeks justice and love. When discouragement encroaches on our soul, He is our comfort. Our unchanging God is in control and we can know all things are working toward His sovereign plan and ultimate victory. We must not grow weary. Our battle is long and our journey difficult. But, oh, our righteous King is our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1-3).
Don’t let the circumstances and events surrounding you consume your thoughts and dictate your mood. Turn your eyes to Jesus. See His beauty. Gaze on His glory. Bask in the warmth of His love. He is not panicked or taken off guard by the happenings in our world. We can rest in His unending provision and power.
I spend much of my time pouring over stories of persecution and oppression of our brothers and sisters. Evil is rampant, and the atrocities can be beyond my ability to comprehend. My heart aches for those going through such trials. Praying for them reminds me my problems and fears pale compared to what they are going through. While our issues may seem small in the grand scheme of things, they can loom large in our minds. When you are in the midst of trouble, God can seem distant or perhaps to have even forgotten you. Know this is only a ploy of the devil. God is not far. You are not forgotten.
No matter how trying the situation, I pray God always finds me praising His name. When trials come, let us increase our praise. Depression cannot reign in a heart given to worship. Anxiety will find no foothold in a mind saturated with Scripture and consumed by prayer. Jesus is the only solution to every problem in the world. Neither governments nor organizations can ever bring peace or healing. Satan is wielding substantial power and sowing immense evil throughout every country. But our God is infinitely more powerful. He will deliver us. He will reign victorious.
In times of trouble, do not rely on your own resources. They won’t be enough. Only Jesus is enough. Remember, our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12). If we fight on our own, we will lose. Our only hope is to surrender everything to Jesus. Anything short of complete surrender will only feed your anxiety and despair. But when we let go, Jesus will invade our hurt and angry places and bring us the peace we so desperately need.
Use these times of trouble to remind you to offer praise to our King. Whenever you feel anxious, pick up His Word and read a chapter of Psalms, the Gospels, or one of Paul’s epistles—or all of the above! Pray desperate prayers; pour out your heart to Jesus. Satan cannot remain anywhere near praise, prayer, or God’s Word. It will force him to flee. Our Father sees your times of trouble and He seeks to comfort you. He will provide for you along the way. Do not lose hope. Do not stop praising Him. Whatever the circumstance, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Know He is advocating on your behalf (1 John 2:1). Do not fear, but shower love on your enemies. We will suffer only for a little while, and then we will reign forever with our precious Savior (1 Peter 5:10).