We all experience hard times in our lives. These struggles with sickness, danger, financial problems, grief, or depression happen to each of us at times. But these only prompt us to cling ever tighter to God—not to turn away from Him, blaming Him for causing or allowing all our troubles. He does not promise to prevent problems from coming into our lives, but He does promise to go through them with us. Suffering and death are as much a part of living as eating and breathing, and we can rely on God to use these situations to build character and faith in our lives.
God will never fail us! Moses exhorted the people of Israel, “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant for a thousand generations and constantly loves those who love Him and obey His commands” (Deuteronomy 7:9). The more we understand this, the less room we have in our hearts for worry.
I have found that as I rely on God’s faithfulness and the promises in His Word, He has proved more than able to walk with me through every situation. Truly, He’s been faithful to me!
In Pakistan during a time of great political upheaval, Vonette and I finished a series of meetings in Latbre and rushed to the train station. Although we did not know it, an angry crowd of thousands was marching on the station to destroy the train with Molotov cocktail bombs. The director of the railway line rushed us to our compartments and told us not to open our doors under any circumstances.
As I put on my pajamas for the night, a peace filled my heart. From my studies of God’s Word, I knew the Lord was with Vonette and me and our party. I was confident God would protect us. It was not until we arrived in Karachi some 28 hours later that I discovered how guardian angels had indeed watched over us. The train before us had been burned when rioting students had lain on the track and refused to move. The train ran over them and, in retaliation, the mob burned the train and killed the officials.
Our train was next to arrive. The angry mob was prepared to do the same to us, but God miraculously went before us, and we arrived safely in Karachi to discover that martial law had been declared and all was peaceful. It was during this incredible, memorable train ride that I revised my book Come Help Change the World.
Today even more than ever, I rely on God to faithfully respond to my prayers when I pray in accordance with His Word and will. David writes of this assurance, “O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in Your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief” (Psalm 143:1, NIV). God does not promise to make life easy for us. But He promises to be with us in all our trying circumstances, protecting us from anything that is not in the center of His will. He will be by our side as we walk through all the difficulties and trials that come our way, giving us His peace.
By Bill Bright
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