Troubles - Why Do We Have Them?

Why do you have troubles? Why are things so hard?

Maybe right now you’re walking through pain. Or maybe you’re on a mountain top and life feels almost perfect. But here’s the real question: will the mountain top experience last? And if it doesn’t, why not?

There are some sobering truths about us.

For those who are open before God, who confess sin, repent, and seek forgiveness, there is great hope. But for those who sin, who hide their sin, or who refuse to face it, the truth is this: we all reap what we sow.

In the days of Jerusalem and Judah, God had Isaiah write:

“At their parties they have lyres, harps, tambourines, flutes, and wine. They don’t see what the Lord has done or notice the work of his hands. So the place of the dead wants more and more people, and it opens wide its mouth. Jerusalem’s important people and common people will go down into it, with their happy and noisy ones. How terrible it will be for those people! They pull their guilt and sins behind them as people pull wagons with ropes” (Isaiah 5:12, 14, 18 NCV).

They partied. They celebrated. They lived for themselves. But they did not see what God was doing. They carried their sin like a heavy wagon, pulling it behind them with no escape. Doesn’t that sound like us?

The truth is, God is always at work.

He heals. He exposes. He warns. He causes the sun to rise, the wind to blow, the birds to sing. He surrounds us with beauty, peace, and blessings, especially here in the United States. We live with more luxury than most of the world.

But more than that, He gave us Jesus Christ to reconcile us with Himself. Jesus paid for our sin in full. If we believe, accept, and follow Him, we grow. We heal. We become strong. And - we will fall in love with God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and other people. We just love better when we walk with God.

But we still have a choice. We can sin. We can hide our anger. We can live as victims of the past. Or, we can forgive, love, serve others, and worship God.

Isaiah said, “They don’t see what the Lord has done.” If you want to see His hand, just slow down. Read His Word. Look around. Breathe. Notice His gifts.

All of a sudden, you’ll see the light, you’ll see Christ, you’ll experience God. Maybe in a way that you never have.

It’s amazing. The more I read God’s Word, the more my eyes are open to my sin, who I really am, who He really is, what Christ has really done.

I see. I see God at work. I see His past work. I see His present work. I see people differently. I see work differently. I see good. I’m not living in a dreamy world, things still hurt. Things are still hard. But the Holy Spirit gives me strength because I ask for it.

I keep reading God’s Word. I keep moving forward toward others. I keep worshipping, praying, confessing, and asking for help. And when I do, I see God at work. I see Him. And I desire God more - not just the stuff he can do for me.

If you’ve walked away, consider coming back.

LORD, you are always there. We are the ones who walk away. Help us trust you, love you, follow you, and worship you with our very lives. IJNIP amen ♥️