So this is kind of a shameless plug for Max Lucado’s Bible
study “You’ll Get Through This”. Usually
his studies are not really ones that I am interested in but this one spoke to
me and opened my eyes in amazing ways drawing me closer to the Lord at a time I
really needed it. We have been going through a really difficult trial the last
couple years, sometimes making it hard to have hope and easy to look at tossing
in the towel and giving up (not in life but in the situation). We have prayed
and cried, and cried out to the Lord, begging for a change in the
circumstances, wondering when this situation will end, wondering how much more
we can take. I saw the quote in the above picture on a FB post, it jumped out
at me and I looked up and ordered the material. This study came along at just
the right time. I shared in my timeline posts at the time but wanted to kind of
bring those thoughts together in one place. The good very praiseworthy news is that it
does appear there may be a change in our circumstances soon. I am scared to hope
that it will happen but need to trust in God’s timing.
Most of the Bible study revolves around the story of
Joseph. Max Lucado pointed out that if it were not for Joseph’s trials and
hardships (thrown into a cistern, sold into slavery, jailed) the young coddled,
spoiled, rich Joseph in his father’s household could not have become Pharaoh’s
right hand man that literally saved nations from starvation and was in a
position to bring his family to a protected place, which ultimately saves the
lineage of Jesus. From the time Joseph was sold into slavery to the time that
he was re-united with his father it was 20+ years. That is a long time to go
through trials. Makes our two years look
like not much. I want to cry out to the Lord and have him deliver us from our troubles
now, have him bring us up out of the miry clay now, bring us up out of the
cistern now. I do not want to consider staying in our troubles indefinitely.
However I know and trust in God’s timing, not my own. In the meantime I will stay prayerful, stay
faithful, hold on to hope, draw strength and rest from Him.
Max Lucado talks about Joseph being in a deep dark pit, not
being able to see his way out. But he did not stay in the pit, God was with
him. God was with him, placing him in prominence in Potipher’s household. Then
later while in prison he continued to remain faithful, and God was with him
showing him kindness and granting him favor with the prison warden. He was able
to be in a position to interpret dreams which years later led to him being in a
position of authority working for the king, and ultimately reunification with
his family. We can see the big picture now piecing all of the events together
but Joseph went through a time of suffering during which God was with him and
eventually brought him out of. Lucado
states “He gets us “through” the Red Sea, he gets us “through” the fiery
furnace, he gets us “through” the storm, He gets us “through” even crucifixion.” “The boy in the pit became the prince in the
palace.” Life in the pit stinks but the God that brought Joseph up and out of
the pit is the same God that will see us through. The pit does one thing, it
forces us to look upward.
In a chapter of the study titled “Wait While God Works”,
Max Lucado draws attention to Daniel 10 when he mourned, fasted and prayed for
21 days. An angel appeared to him and told him that his words were heard from
the first day but the angel was held up in spiritual warfare for those 21 days.
While Daniel was waiting steadfastly in prayer, God was working. We may not get
the answer we want in the timeline we want it in, but that does not mean that
our prayers went unanswered, we continue to pray, fast, focus on God, and wait
while He works. Obviously this is easier said than done. :)
The following are some other quotes from the book that
spoke to me.
"As for you, you meant evil against me,
but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept
alive, as they are today." Genesis 50:20 Satan is the source of this evil, but God
comes in and takes the actions of evil and reweaves them for good. God will use
this mess that you are going through right now. It may take some time but God
does not waste this time. He will use this time to train and develop us into the
person he needs to accomplish his will. He will use this time to teach us
something that he wants us to know.”
“What is the one thing you still have that no
one can take? The answer is God’s destiny. No one can touch it. They can take a
lot of things from you but no one can take your destiny. You are God’s child.
He chose you. No one can take that from you. He placed you on this planet, in
this generation, with these skills, in the place where you live, for a purpose.
You are his child, you have to hang on to that. I am still God’s child. I may
pass through a tough season, but I am his for eternity, he is still on the
throne.”
"Rather than ask "God, why?"
ask, "God, what?" What can I learn from this experience? Rather than
ask God to change our circumstances, ask Him to use your circumstances to
change you. Life is a required course. Might as well do your best to pass
it."
We may have had some
difficult times of late and after awhile, it started to get harder and harder
to get through it and "soldier on", and I found myself focusing on
wanting deliverance of those circumstances. However it is not part of God's
plan right now and this study has really helped in growing me spiritually,
changing my perspective and teaching me to be content.
The following are some
verses that have been helping me. This list is not all inclusive, remember this
trial has been going on for awhile and there are soooo many verses that have
helped us at different times during this period.
I know what it is to be
in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of
being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether
living in plenty or in want. I can do
all this through him who gives me strength.
Phillipians 4:12,13
Then Moses summoned
Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and
courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore
to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their
inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will
never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:7,8
Sing the praises of the
Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a
moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but
rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:4,5
Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in
perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1
Lord my God, I called
to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of
the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Psalm 30:2,3
But you, man of God,
flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance
and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal
life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the
presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12
All who are under the
yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that
God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 1 Timothy 6:1
I lift up my eyes to
the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the
Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1,2
But those who hope in
the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they
will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
Rejoice in the Lord
always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the
peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally,
brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of
peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a
little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These
have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than
gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory
and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6,7
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38,39
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who
will sustain you, I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and
I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
Let us acknowledge
the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he
will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains
that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3
