Don't Quit now!

When hard times come, God has His reasons.  Those reasons are always righteous and good, because that is who God is.

During those times of difficulty and even pain for God´s children, God is very intentional in how He desires to use the season of trial to accomplish goodness and righteousness in the lives of those who belong to Him.

But in order to reap the goodness and the righteousness in our lives, we must cooperate with what God is doing.  He will not force us to make positive changes.  Instead, He enables us to make those changes if we are willing.

So, we have been looking at what He teaches us through His Word about how to cooperate with what He wants to accomplish in our lives, especially as He works in and around us in hard times.

We saw first that we had to admit that we are inadequate to handle the difficulty or make the changes He desires by ourselves or in our own strength.

We were reminded that we need to admit to ourselves and to Him that we cannot live the Christian life on our own.

Having declared our inability, then we trust in His super ability.  That description seems trite – super ability.  Today the world reads and watches movies about all these super heroes with super abilities.  But we know they are not real.  Sadly, their lack of reality breeds doubt in some people´s minds that there is a real God who has genuine super abilities.  But our God is real, and He is all-knowing; He is all-powerful; He is present everywhere.  Even those of us who believe this cannot fully comprehend His abilities.

Luke 1:37 NKJV   For with God nothing will be impossible.

Ephesians 3:20 NKJV   Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

But we must not stop with just believing in God and His power.  Sadly, this is the place many Christians quit!  They acknowledge the power of God and really do believe it.  But they do not take the next step which is essential in cooperating with God and reaping the blessings that come with having His purposes accomplished in their lives.

The fourth and final step of what we are to do is…

OBEY HIS WORD!

If Paul had not gotten in the basket, his troubles would have greatly multiplied.

If the Hebrew children had not obeyed the Word of the Lord, they would not have enjoyed His protection.

If the children of Israel had not marched forward according to the command of the Lord, many would have been slain on the shores of the Red Sea.

If the leper had not believed in Jesus and asked for His help, the leper would have died in misery.

If either Elijah or the widow had not obeyed what God said to do, both would have gone hungry.

When trouble comes, what do you do?  What are you doing now in this time of trial brought on by the Coronavirus?

Are you boasting to yourself or others, “I can handle this”?

Are you saying, “Well since I am a Christian, I am confident that I can just walk through this unscathed”? 

Please!  Don´t!

Admit your inadequacy.
Acknowledge that you cannot live the Christian life in your own strength.
Trust in God.  Depend upon God.  Rely upon God.
And obey His Word.  Do what He tells you to do and do it immediately!
          Repent and confess sin.
          Stop doing that which He says is wrong.
          Start doing that right thing He has been urging upon you.
          Just obey what the Word of God says.