You Can Find Blessings In Times Of Difficulty

Always! You just need to look past your eyes and pay attention to what’s going on around you. We get so caught up with the things that are going differently than what we hope; when times are hard, we often fail to see that God is with us, working in us and around us. These are the times we must look past what is in front of our eyes, to God, trusting Him completely, knowing that His promise to carry us through the deep waters and walk us through the fire is for real. He didn’t sacrifice His son Jesus to pay our sin debt then turn His back on us. No way!

Everything we go through serves a purpose. And if we’re all caught up in worry and feeling sorry for ourselves, instead of looking to God, then sure enough, we’ll miss the blessing that is beyond the pain. Just like the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites, blessings of peace, joy, and hope will pass over us if we are not available to receive them.

Throughout the exodus from Egypt, complaining and unhappiness was all that the Lord heard from His chosen people. It was so bad that He decided the first generation would all die off before His people received their inheritance, the promised land of Canaan. Those folks were so caught up in self pity and discontentment, even though the Lord provided them with everything they needed—food falling out of the sky each day, their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out, and springs of sweet water for themselves and their livestock. Instead of trusting in God and looking forward to their blessing—a land rich and fertile, flowing with milk and honey—they refused to look past the desert in front of their eyes, therefore missing out on the abundance the Lord wanted to bless them with so badly.

Often, we see a rainbow after a fierce storm. In fact, after a recent storm that included a good pelting of hail, we were blessed with a very rare event: a double-rainbow! Only those who were looking up saw the rainbow.

We all will face times of difficulty throughout our lives. No one is exempt, not even Jesus. During these hard times, we can choose to place our lives in God’s hands and trust Him for the outcome, or we can rely on our own strength and resources. Which do you choose?

Matthew 6:33 (New Living Translation)

Seek the Kingdom of God^a]"> above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Isaiah 43:2 (New Living Translation)

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.