Conquering Life’s Circumstances
Many scripture passages assure us God will not allow life’s circumstances to overcome us. Anxiety, fear and abandonment often convert into disillusionment, depression and cynicism. Yet, God never leaves or forsakes us. In every challenge, His unfailing love and sustaining presence empowers us to surmount threatening situations. Moreover, He transforms our dilemmas into tests. Several verses of scripture contain these promises of victorious living. I encourage you to commit these passages to memory and recite them in daily meditation.
“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) What a relief to know God guarantees our victory regardless of the conditions! This verse reminds us of the infinite nature of Christ’s love for us. His atoning sacrifice and its redemption of humankind ensures our triumph over any adversity. Christ conquered the evil of the cross. His victory allows us to crush the daily opposition we face. In everything, Christ’s unfathomable love sanctions our conquest.
The prophet, Isaiah, paints a very vivid picture of God’s assurance of victory. He comforts the people in the midst of exile with a picturesque reminder of God’s compassion. He says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2) What a wonderful image of the comforting presence of Almighty God! More significantly, we marvel that God simply will not allow life’s situations to overwhelm us. The waters of trials and tribulations will not drown us. The flames of affliction and hardship will not destroy us.
God promises, “I will be with you.” Those simple words are the foundation of faith. We need not fear anyone or anything because God is always with us. His enduring faithfulness enables us to meet the constant changes of life with a confidence that yields victory in every instance. We can unquestionably rely upon the grace, mercy, peace and truth of God. Therefore, we do not lose our heads in the throes of our challenges. God’s faithfulness equips us to persevere in fidelity to Him.
There are times when the intensity of circumstances blinds us. Our anxiety prevents us from seeing God’s “good, pleasing and perfect will.” Quite possibly, we fall for the temptation of believing He abandons us to depths of despair. Amazingly, Isaiah again depicts a compelling image of God’s care. “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are things I will do; I will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 42:16) Truly, God’s grace is wonderful and amazing! He changes details in our lives into tools of learning. He utilizes our hardships to teach us about His character and love. Furthermore, God uses our ordeals to build His character within us. In so doing, He demolishes the fallacy that He abandons us. Instead, He opens our eyes to see where and how He is working within our lives. You will recall the story of 2 Kings 6:8-23 in which Elisha prays his servant will be able to see the forces of God are greater than the hosts of their opponent. Because of his fear and panic, Gehazi assumes that they will die. Elisha asks the Lord to remove Gehazi’s spiritual blindness. Similarly, Isaiah assures us that the Lord will eliminate our inability to see His will in the midst of tribulation. God will send the dawn of a new and brilliant day!
The waters of life and the flames of circumstance overtake us when we lose sight of the Lord. Matthew 14:22-36 records the story, “Jesus Walks on the Water.” In that narrative text, the disciples are on a boat in the lake during the fourth watch of the night. The period between 3:00 am and 6:00 am is the darkest and coldest part of the night. Fear and doubt loom large in your mind. Any sound generally and easily frightens. One imagines the waves fiercely pounding the boat. The temperature of the lake definitely chills their bodies. Yet, Jesus appears when all seems lost. He encourages them with the greeting, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Likewise, God appears mysteriously, miraculously and majestically in the course of our dilemmas. He sustains us with the power of His presence.
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