I have had easier weeks – easier than the past couple of them, I should say.  My daughter was in a motorcycle accident and her body is broken but she is alive, and for that I am remarkably grateful—and there are no “buts…”, because the word “but” means that what I said before does not really count for much, and I am truly grateful for God’s amazing mercy and grace. 

Sometimes life may seem boring, although often it can be exciting, depending on our perspective.  I also recognize that the enemy forces, who do not like Christians, take fiendish delight in throwing off the rhythm of our existence with attempts to destroy our faith in God as well as our lives.  Satan is like a lion seeking prey—however, he and his cohorts are defeated enemies.  Our victory, their defeat was secure through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Our words can reflect the words of Jacob to his brothers, who sold him into slavery:  “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:19).

We script our lives not only for day-to-day activities, but also for our futures.  I think most people recognize that there will be glitches in our finely tuned plans; however, when big things happen—like illnesses and motorcycle accidents, both of which have come to visit my life lately—disorientation often ensues and our faith is put to test.  God has our lives scripted, too – yet there are no surprises for Him.  He cautions through the apostle James, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; where as you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15).

I have noticed when that when crises arise, the demonic realm is quick to contribute an element of fear, sometime intense and from a satanic perspective, crippling.  However, Christians have the assurance that, “He who is in you [us] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).  And our Father reminds us through the apostle Paul, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).  Sometimes things just happen, sometimes things happen because of the choices we make, and sometimes things that happen are demonically instigated.  Often the evil, unseen realm attempts to manipulate life events, and our thoughts, in ways that portray Satan as more powerful than he truly is.  It is important to recognize that Satan and his cohorts are bullies who seek to intimidate God’s children into vulnerable positions where we forget that we are heirs of the King. 

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:14-17).

“When the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

When difficult circumstances arise, it is easy to fall into a trap of condemnation, thinking, “Why me?”, “Did I do something wrong?” or “There must be some unconfessed sin in my life” without remembering that there is “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8: 1).  It is also easy to forget the nature of spiritual warfare and the fact that Satan is the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10)—for that is just what he and his minions do, accuse believers and cause us to doubt the goodness and sovereignty of God.  Sadly, some Christians may also come along side us with accusations and condemnation, assisting the enemy with his mission. 

Sometimes the boat is behind us and we find ourselves standing on water—the things that bear our lives forward are missing, our security, our jobs, the familiarity of our routines and our schedules, our health, or our relationships are swallowed by the waves of life as the winds tear at our hearts.  Like Peter, it is easy to let our eyes drift from the Savior onto the unfamiliar, seemingly unreal circumstances gripping our lives; yet Jesus welcomes our cries of “Lord, save me!”  And His gentle response is, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

…for we have His assurance that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”; and, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28, 35, 37-39).

“There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.”

~Oswald Chambers~