Difficult times
2021-02-01Romans 8:31 NKJV
Challenges are an unavoidable part of life. Whether we’re talking big world-changing events, or a day gone slightly wrong, our lives with God don’t often go exactly how we think they might. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that everything is suddenly smooth sailing.
Our world, and each one of us, is still imperfect because of millions of choices that have shifted us away from the ideal that God created back in Genesis. But the great news is that we get to invite God into all of our challenges. Jesus promised to be ‘with you always, to the very end of the age’ (Matthew 28:20 NIV), and that includes the most difficult moments.
When we invite God into our lives, He’s there for it all – every moment of joy, every challenge, and even every mundane Monday morning. When Paul wrote, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31 NIV), he probably didn’t mean that no-one would ever disagree with God’s people or cause problems for them. He’d experienced his fair share of challenges, so he knew that wasn’t true. It seems more likely that Paul knew that whoever tried to stand up against Him, God had made a way for him to persevere regardless.
Even when difficult circumstances arise, God is there with us, and working for us. He will make sure that no-one can derail His plan. Life can be difficult, but we can count on the fact that successfully living out God’s plan doesn’t depend on us or our circumstances, but on God. And He is always for us.