Dealing with Trouble (Pt 1)

Psalm 23:4 reads, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. . .” One of the undeniable truths of this world in which we live is the certainty of trouble. Most of history has been characterized by trouble whether war, famine, disease, or oppression. Believers are no exception. In 1Thessalonians 3.4 the Apostle Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers that “we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction.” Jesus told his disciples, in John 16.33 “In the world you will have tribulation.” The New International Version translates tribulation as troubles. Other version use trials or sorrows. The relative peace and prosperity of American Christianity has lulled us into believing that God wants us to be happy, healthy, and well to do. But there are often several valleys of the shadow of death that we all face.

Yesterday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. We rejoiced over the empty tomb, and reveled in the reality of eternal life in Christ. But today, where I sit, the sky is cloudy, snow is falling again, and we are all sequestered in our homes because of a virus that has brought the world to its knees. After the celebration we still have to live life, and life has pain.

The truth is, we are all living with some form of grief. Grief sneaks in and robs us of our joy, it blinds us to our blessings, and it causes us to lash out at those closest to us. We are grieving the loss of seeing our friends and family. We are grieving the loss of freedom to move about as we like. We are grieving the ability to find the products we want on the grocery store shelves because people are hoarding. We grieve the loss of our rights when we comply with government regulations for safety while others seem to go on as normal. Grief makes us angry. It makes us depressed and discouraged. Grief makes us anxious and irritable. Right now our whole nation is grieving but we often fail to recognize it or realize it.

So how should we respond to our grief and troubles in life. There are at least three truths that we need to understand. I’ll write about the second two truths in coming blogs. The first is that we must understand how to respond to trouble. Romans 12.9-13 says,

[9] Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. [10] Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. [11] Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. [12] Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. [13] Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

In verse 12 we find this little statement, “be patient in tribulation.” That’s easier said than done. How does one practice patience in tribulation. I believe the rest of the passage shows us how to do that, but let me focus on three statements that surround “be patient in tribulation.” First is “Rejoice in hope.” The Apostle Paul wrote, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Php 3:8). When we fix our eyes on that which we gain in Christ, the troubles of this world fade in their significance. As believers facing unprecedented times, we need to learn to rejoice in our hope in Christ.

Second, Romans 12:12 says, “Be constant in prayer.” I fear that in our busyness and desire for quick results and fast responses, we have lost our heart for prayer. Yet when we learn to be still before God (Ps 4:10), when we learn to wait in his presence (Ps 27:14), when we learn that we do not know how to pray but that the Spirit “intercedes for us with groanings to deep for words . . . according to the will of God” (Rom 8:26-27), that is when we have begun to learn to pray. In the face if trouble we need to learn to be constant in prayer.

Third, Romans 12 tells us to, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Rom 12:13). Showing hospitality is what we do to outsiders. The saints are insiders, brothers in Christ. Therefore, we are called to serve others, believers and unbelievers. Giving pulls us out of our own self-focus. Giving turns our hearts to others to consider their plight. Giving turns our hearts outward rather than inward. When we are facing troubles we need to resist the temptation to draw inward, circle the wagons, hoard all we have, and wait it out. Rather we need to learn to turn outward, see the pain and need of others, and open our hearts to them.

How can we be patient in midst of overwhelming trouble? Rejoice in our hope in Christ, be constant in prayer, and seek to serve others however you are able. Grief, pain, and loss are indeed difficult for us to face, but God has called us to look up and to look out in hope, prayer, and loving service. May that be true of me today.