How to Respond When Trouble Comes Your Way
Trouble in life is inevitable. In fact, Jesus promised His followers we would experience trouble(John 16:33). Because you are a spiritual leader, the devil will deploy every attack in his arsenal against you to keep you from advancing the kingdom of God.
God, in His Word, has given us instructions and examples to follow when we face hard seasons of life.
Step 1: Know God
Psalm 46 was written for the people of Judah referring to the events recorded in 2 Kings 18-19.
The Assyrian army was camped outside the walls of Jerusalem, threatening to take the nation of Judah. Judah had no hope of winning against the Assyrians because they were greatly outnumbered and out resourced.
King Hezekiah turned to God for deliverance by praying earnestly and seeking the prophet Isaiah’s counsel. In response, God assured Hezekiah that Jerusalem will be spared. A miraculous event follows where an angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, forcing Sennacherib to retreat, thus saving Judah from destruction without anyone from Judah’s army having to do anything.
The powerful words of Psalm 46:10 echo the work of the Almighty God in this story:
Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”Psalm 46:8-10
When we face hard seasons of life, we can trust God is fighting with us. However, before we can let God fight our battles, we must know God.
2 Kings records King Hezekiah as a man who “did what was right in the Lord’s sight” and “held fast to the Lord.” He knew of God’s victory, power, and love and trusted in it.
Post resurrection, we know God’s victory, power, and love through Jesus. (John 14:9; Col. 1:15;19) Do you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord? Can you claim His victory over sin and death as your own?
Step 2: Remember God is Your Refuge
The Psalmist in Psalm 46 begins by reminding the people of God that He is–not was, not will be–their refuge in times of trouble. (v. 1-3)
When we face hard seasons of life we have a choice: we can either allow the hardness of the season to paralyze us or we can run to God as our shelter. Trusting the Lord as your shelter means trusting His words and promises over your thoughts and feelings.
Step 3: Remember the Lord is Your Supply
Verses 4 and 5 of Psalm 46 remind us God is our supply. By storing up in times of calm through the study of His Word, we can draw from Him in times of trouble through the act of worship.
When you face a hard season, worship Him. Pray. Read the Psalms out loud. Create a playlist of worship music you can turn on and sing to remind your soul who and how great your God is. As you worship, take notice of what He does in, through, and for you.
Step 4: Focus on the Promises of God
As demonstrated in verses 8 and 9, focus on God’s power over your own strength and ability by speaking His promises over your life and over the lives of those around you. Here are some examples:
- Isaiah 41:10. God is with you and will uphold you.
- Romans 8:37. We are more than conquerors through Christ.
- Philippians 4:13. God gives us strength.
- Romans 8:28. He is working things for our good.
- Joshua 1:9. The Lord will guide and protect us.
When we aren’t focused on the will and character of God, hard seasons of life can leave us feeling overwhelmed and defeated. But when we know, trust and seek Him during times of trouble, we’ll find we can rest as He fights for us.
This post is inspired by message three of our “God’s Design: The Family Code” sermon series entitled, “Brace for Impact”by Dr. Jody Ray. You can dive deeper into what it looks like to lead your family well by using the study guide we’ve produced for this series. Submit your email here to receive a free eBook version to your inbox.