Question from a friend of WordTruth Ministries:
>> How do I hold on to a promise when there are all types of personal,
family, and
>> financial issues I face? How do I continue to believe that God hears
and
>> answers my prayers when other believers are judging me about my
appearance and
>> past deeds? It does not seem to matter that I am trying my
best to please God...
WordTruth.Com Response:
How do you hold onto a promise? Well, if it is man's promise
then you have to take it with some degree of pessimism. We live in
a fallen world. Man's promises are based on a nature prone to selfishness.
Even "church" people can treat one another in some very bad ways. My
own church had a youth group that shunned my daughter because she was not
in the "popular" crowd. It had some pretty dramatic effects on her
life and emotional well-being.
What about God's promises? These are based on an infinite,
unchanging, all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect Almighty God. You hold
on to God's promises in spite of man's failures because of God's unchanging
nature. The Bible says, "The LORD has kept the promise he made" (2 Chronicles
6:10, NKJV). God is the original promise-keeper.
Prayerfully meditate on the words of Psalm 77 for they seem particularly
appropriate for your situation. The Psalmist was being persecuted by
others and seemingly (only seemingly) forgotten by God. Look carefully
at his response to such feelings -- he began to remember all the times God
has remembered His promises in the past, such as His promise to deliver the
Hebrew people from Egypt. They had to wait over 400 years for God's promised
deliverance!
Remember too that when you have trusted in the LORD Jesus Christ
as your personal Savior, you have become a child of God and servant in His
kingdom. You are accountable to Him first and foremost. When
you are following Christ but being condemned by others unjustly, God has
promised you great reward:
[Jesus said], "Blessed are you when
they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely
for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in
heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew
5:11-12, NKJV).
Jesus assured us we would face trouble and tribulation in this fallen
world (John 16:33). But He also said, "but be of good cheer, I have overcome
the world" (John 16:33, NKJV). He also said,
"I
am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20, NKJV).
He may not always take your troubles away in this life, but He has promised
and is faithful to be with you through it all. Meditate on Psalm 23
and commit it to memory:
1 The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever. (NKJV)
He provides for you, gives you rest, leads you, restores you, comforts you
with His presence, protects you from enemies, and chases you around with
goodness and mercy. On top of that, He assures you of a glorious future
with Him in Heaven. So, "let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews
12:1-2, NKJV).
May God bless you with His wisdom and the courage to follow Jesus!
Randy Lariscy :-)
Director - WordTruth Ministries
Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would
like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please
send your e-mail to:
Email: Request@WordTruth.com
Web Site: WordTruth.Com
Copyright 5/26/2003, Randy Lariscy.
