 |
| I have found prayer and devotion does not bar unpleasant situations from happening to us all the time... |
Paul AremoOluwa
My loyalty to the word of God is unshaken. More than ever, recently my appreciation for the Word of God has increased in an unprecedented way. The word of God can never be wrong.
This year has been nothing short of trying and difficult challenges staring me in the face. It's like a surfer's experience against tidal waves. As you scurry through one upsurge the next is incoming. Then it's like your Christianity is shallow or your prayer life is weak, else why do you have to go through difficulties?
Are we more or less of a Christian by the hurdles we face and scale? If Christians are heirs and sons of a living and all knowing God why do we encounter ugly situations? Where is God when you need Him? Why do we devote our lives to him only to encounter some unpalatable situation? Questions on my mind.
In the Month of May a brother shared with me the tragic incident of a pastor's son that drowned in the swimming pool on the day of the pastor's birthday celebration. They summoned courage to believe God to restore the kid back to life but after hours of prayers, weeping and tears they finally accepted the young chap was gone. Why did it happen? How come this was not revealed to them earlier, was there no one with sensitive spiritual antenna? Why couldn't prayer bring back the child? Someone once asked, "why do terrible things happen to terrific people?"
Questions within our hearts should not be swept under the rug and excused as signs of doubting. I see in my own life that what inspires faith is not absence of questions rather answers to questions form substance for my unshakable faith in God.
I have found prayer and devotion does not bar unpleasant situations from happening to us all the time. In the case of Daniel, it was his prayer and devotion that led him into the lion's den literally. It was Job's devotion to God that put him on the devil's radar. The devotion of Elijah to Elohim compelled him to self-exile as he fled from Jezebel. In Acts 16 Paul was heading to pray when he and Silas got caught and thrown in jail for exorcising a young lady.
The notion that, if we are faithfully serving God we wouldn't find ourselves in some horrific situation is more myth than the mythological Island of Atlantis. Everyone, both saints and sinners have a fair share of tragedy. Painfully, we (believers) act as though we are alien to such experiences. What can we glean from the Bible?
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous." Psalm 34:19a KJV
In one of Paul's letters He wrote an entire church in Philippi, a major city in Macedonia, about a sick minister:
"But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need, since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that HE WAS SICK. For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow." Philippians 2:25
Why did Paul publicise the sickness of this minister? I believe the Holy Spirit wants us to accept that God's ministers (saints) fall sick sometimes and they don't need to feel insecure admitting it. Despite the waves of healing recorded in the book of Acts and under Paul own ministry of special miracles, why wasn't Epaphroditus healed instantly? Why did Paul declare that Epaphroditus healing was nothing short of the act of God's mercy instead of a gift of grace?
At another time Paul wrote in an epistle of another sick brother:
"Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick." 2 Timothy 4:20 Amplified Bible
This implied that at the moment of Paul's departure Trophimus was still bound in the affliction of sickness with no improvement to his health despite Paul's possibly ministering to him. What a take home for us today.
Was James slaughtered by Herod because the Church didn't engage in daily prayers and constant fellowship? Did Stephen die at the fruit of his youth because he lacked spiritual fervency? Was Paul beaten five times by the Jews because he didn't walk by the Spirit? Why did he experience shipwreck and was a victim of robbery as He recounted in his own words:
"Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep. I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers." 2 Corinthians 11:25-26 Amplified Bible
But all these correspond with the words of God from the Psalmist lips, many are the afflictions of the righteous."
Things happen in our lives that we don't want to go public with because we are scared it might "Embarass God," or our status in God, but most times it is our own reputation we want to save. Why should people say of us, "He believed in God, yet this or that happened." Well, the Pharisees taunted Jesus on the cross and Job's friends blamed his tragedies on some spiritual defect but challenges does come when we least expect it. We must not feel guilty, lost or panic why such occurrences happened to us. We must learn to walk in this race without being afraid of evil in the moments of the shadow of death.
God does not hint us on everything but He promised to always be with us. We wouldn't need His companionship and saving if this journey is not filled with twists and turns. The afflictions of the righteous might not be few in comparison to the unbelieving but God will always carry us through. We might find the strength we need in prayer, in worship and fellowship with the saints of God but we must not see spirituality as a means to escape life's hurdles but to confront them with persuasion and assurance.
The righteous should prepare their heart to confront many afflictions. David didn't have to do anything against Saul to bear the brunt of his jealousy. Your car breaking down on the highway may not be a result of not observing your morning devotion. You can lose a loved one despite a splendid prayer life. Joseph was not sold into slavery because he didn't know how to interprete dreams. But thank God Psalm 34:19 has a B-part,
"But the LORD delivereth him out of them all."
The reason we are more than conquerors is because no matter the twist and turns in events of our lives it will always end with us on a winning side. The pastor's son that drowned wasn't resurrected but He is enjoying his eternity better than our earthly reality. Paul got beaten several times but it gave him wider audience to preach the gospel. Stephen was falsely accused, stoned to death but he became a martyr and obtained a better resurrection and is assured to be part of the Messiah's millennial reign. Epaphroditus was sick but his name was placed in the glare of billions of believers a as role model. Despite our afflictions we see a God who worked it out for the good of His saints, thereby delivering them. The afflictions of our dear Lord resulted to our own healing and deliverance.
Do we trust Him? Are we scared some situations in our lives challenges God? Absolutely God is in absolute control. We can be pressed but not crushed, crushed but not destroyed, persecuted but not abandoned. Our bones wouldn't be broken. So whether it is sickness or death or hunger or famine or need or whatever be the case the result it sure, God will deliver us from all our troubles. In the world, fractured world, we would see tribulation but Jesus has overcome to the glory of God our father and the benefit of His saints.
My resolve is simple. I will fear no evil, I will be of good cheer. I will bless the Lord at all times, for what the devil meant for evil the good Lord has turned it for my good. Indeed we are beyond conquerors through Him that love us. Amen.
Comments