What To Do When Life Caves In

Mustard Seed Chronicles: Story Time with LU Grandma

If you have never been there, at some point in your life, you probably will be. Either a circumstance or event happens to you, your loved ones, or friends, or you read about it on your digital device or see it in the news. We have walked through some situations in our lives that have been very disturbing. I will spare you the details, but over our lifetime we’ve experienced horrific sicknesses of a child and husband, undeserved loss of jobs, multiple hospitalizations for family members for surgeries, an auto accident that could have been deadly, a stolen vehicle and two floods in the house in two months’ time!

Maybe you have known someone who has lost their children in an accident or a family member in a war. Maybe they or you have lost a home in a fire, tornado, or hurricane with all the memories and possessions they have accrued over their lifetime, leaving them homeless and destitute. Maybe you have walked through a deadly disease of a loved one or have gotten a scary diagnosis for yourself! OK! Enough! You get the picture.

When reading through Psalms 39-43, we see David hiding from his enemies, being betrayed, being mocked to the point of making him depressed and physically sick, asking, “Where are You, God?” But in every one of those circumstances, there is evidence of his heart’s willingness to praise God still.

The thing we don’t seem to remember or understand fully is that we live in a broken world ruled by sin and Satan, and we are broken sinful people. If we stayed in that knowledge, we would all be depressed and anxious at best and suicidal at worst. BUT! There is an answer to all our troubles that can gladden our hearts. It is found in the Word of God and in His Son Jesus Christ! As we read His Word, we see in John 16:33 that Jesus says, “ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world.”

Did you know that we have been commanded 77 times (in the NIV translation) not to be afraid? And lots of them are linked to a promise? Check it out! There are promises of Heaven and eternal bliss with God the Father and Jesus our Savior! This world is not our eternal home, and there is something so much better when we pass from death to life.

Philippians 1:27: “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.”

Philippians 3:20: “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”

Revelation 3:12: “All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God – the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.”

We also read that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, gracious, forgiving, tenderhearted, and full of lovingkindness, and will help get us through our trials! The solution to all our woes here in this life is to worship and praise our God and Savior! We may not be at the point yet that we can praise them for what is happening, but we can always praise them for Who they are!!

Like David in the Psalms, music has always played a big part in my family’s lives. When life caves in for me, God brings several of the old hymns and songs to mind. Some recurring ones are “God Will Take Care of You,” “God Will Make a Way When There Seems to Be No Way.” Add them to your soul’s repertoire and be blessed hearing them.

Prayer

Father, we all go through difficulties in this life. You never promised that we would not. But You have put it in the hearts of those to write songs out of their own trials to encourage us. May we go to Your Word for Your promises and Your truth about this life so we can praise You with everything we have within us, and not just when life seems to be going well, but especially when life caves in. Our trials are temporary (even if they seem to last a lifetime) and You will use all of them for good as it says in Romans 8:28. Oh, Lord, how we praise You this day and every day! I am not necessarily asking You to remove our trials as much as I am asking that You teach us in them and through them to lean on You, trust You, love You, and always have praise on our lips and in our hearts to You! You are our rock, fortress, and hiding place in our times of battle! How can we thank You enough for that?

I pray these things in the precious name of Jesus.

Amen!