Lend Me Your Ears

Guys can we really find peace in an unstable world? When we are confronted with events that threaten to erode our confidence in God can we still have hope? Or perhaps when we have made ourselves vulnerable to the authority of God and he chooses to let us go through fire can we still say that God is still on my side? Can we fight on his side when we have been hurt?  And we still declare that GOD is "the same yesterday and today, and forever? Can we find inner peace?

There are times when certain events take on our faith. They shake the foundations of our faith. Our convictions we have formed overtime are put into test. But when all is said and done such times is when our faith is purified and when we withstand it we come out of pain much stronger and way better than we thought we were before. We can put our hearts to rest and say that he is our friend, our redeemer and our advocate.

In this world there are and will always have inconsistencies and contradictions that when we will observe them we do not see how they can in any way add up to what we know. We know for sure this is not close to obvious we know and are used to. A world under a God that is perfect cannot be imperfect, we reason.  Didn’t Jesus promise peace to would be His disciples yet they continually face challenges and pain as anyone else sometimes much more than non-believers?  We always wonder why God would allow this to happen to his own. It seems an embarrassment to his divine character. Fairness, justice, mercy and love all come into question in moments like this. In our finite minds we try finding answers to life challenging questions on the place of God in our lives and in the world. We ask, He could allow us to undergone such traumatizing events of pain in our lives? And in our minds that may not at such times comprehend the nature of God  we are convinced we know and claim we understand conclude, ”surely this cannot be God”, there cannot be God who is all powerful, all knowing and takes part in everything that occurs on earth. Thus we tend to distort our faith by doubting if we are really in Gods plans. Then slowly by slowly, with disappointments around our life we consider that there can never anywhere in the world this can happen to anyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus.

At the times when we struggle to understand God in times of persecution, what should we do and remember? In the face of oppression from the enemy, we must cry to the lord for help. Israelites did and God heard their cry for help. They did this on several occasions and God came to their rescue. The Lord says, "I, even I, am the Lord; and there is no savior besides me. Turn to me and be saved...for I am God, and there is no other”. They did so in Egypt and Moses was sent to lead them out to a land flowing with milk and honey. In the wilderness on their way to Canaan they cried to God and they were saved. They did so again during the times of Judges. In pain ensure that you give God no rest until he perfects you in all things. They called on his name and surely god established freedom and peace to them. They knew that even though God had punished them and had been angry with them, in his grace and mercy, he would still remember them. They understood that at his hands was the safest place to be in. they would not let their faith fail them. They made up their mind to look not onto the hills or the mountains but on the heavens where their help would come from. He would not let his own people to be punished by their enemy beyond what he had intended of them. God had pity on them. As a father has compassion on his sons he had compassion on them and came to their aide. God who is powerful and able to do all things did not tally. He could not break his covenant he had made with Abraham his servant that Israel would be a nation established for his own glory to show his patience and love to all people. And to us we must hold on to prayer and not let our faith fail us. Cry in the closet but also in public. Our pains are too a small thing that the lord too powerful to handle and save you. He tells us to seek and we will find him, we ask and it will be given to us and we knock and the door will be opened for us. His promises are yes and amen. He will come and repay what you have lost. He will establish you in his grace.

We must not forget that when the lord sees our struggle, he sends us messengers of hope. In desperation, he sends his servants with good news. Moses was sent to Israelites in Egypt, an angel was sent to timid Gideon and Jesus to a world lost in sin and depravity. They come to comfort us and remind us that in the past god had been with us and we can bank on him even now to rescue us. They bring refreshment for our souls in such times. They have cool water that we need when we are in summer seasons of life. They bring healing. God in his might can use anyone to bring the package of hope to us. Sometimes he uses prophets; other times pastors, workmate, classmates, strangers, family members or friends. He is one who chooses whom to use in his wisdom. He still has better plans for us. And though the conditions prevailing are seemed to work against us then we can be sure that whatever he has written about us still holds. Our deliverance is on the way. It has not delayed. The lord is still one who anchors our faith. We must not lose our confidence in his word and message of our refreshment. Do not die alone. Let others be with you. Examine their words and if they are genuine from the Lord believe it and keep it with you. Remind God of the small victories that he gave you in the past and thank Him that this too will pass away.

But I know it’s not easy especially to believe that God is working out things for you in times of pain. But he is nevertheless doing it. I have all the reasons to believe his word. If I can believe in his son Jesus that he has saved me then I can too believe he still loves me. I do not need a sigh to believe. If God decides to show me the sign, I will be grateful to him and if not I will praise his name. I will still love him. I will still believe that God has no evil plans over my life. He is not interested in ensuring that he punishes me with pain. He is interested to ensuring that I learn and know if my heart will still cling to him. He desires to know if my heart is still true to him. If I pass the test, I will receive the reward both here and in eternity. If pain does not end here in this world, I can trust that in heaven there will be no more pain and sorrow. That is what I am convicted. I make myself vulnerable to God’s word and his promises. He will not ashame me.

God unlike us knows what will happen to us today, tomorrow and the next year. He says, "I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning. If he declared of this then I can be sure that when pain happens to me, he will be there right with me. He will be aware that it is happening. Again, I know that he is will be my refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. God will still care for me. He will express this through love and not just mare love, but deep love shown through victory. The lord will fight on my behalf. If he tells me to open my eyes and see that two sparrows are sold for a cent.  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows."  If you turn to God, he will care for you as no one else does, and in a way that no one else can. Yes that those are his words.

Do not think that God will forget you. He is more than willing to help you. For his own Glorly he will want to show himself faithful to his word. And never think that you will ever get inner peace from outside. You must always remeber that peace can only be given by an eternal God. He is the prince of peace. He gives peace tha surpasses human understsnading. Trust in Him and do not loose confidence in him. If you act Faithless you will sin. The glor