By: Manish

Read: Numbers 15:17-16:40, Mark 15:1-47, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 11:5-6

Surely God is my help; The Lord is the one who sustains me.
(Psalm 54:4)

Relate: Everyone goes through struggles in their lives. It is something we can’t avoid. Sometimes it’s bad enough that we feel disconnected from the rest of the world, our family, and friends. A lot of people deal with depression or anxiety or any other mental health disorders. Or maybe it could be a physical disorder like a bodily weakness. 

Living with those kinds of things can be tiring and frustrating and going through it is hard. Sometimes not as bad as others, but everyone has points in their life where things get really bad. It could make you feel lost, scared, and alone. It could even make you lose the will to do anything, and several other things. And oftentimes when we go through those parts of life it feels like there’s no way out, like no one can help you. No matter how strong your faith, we can easily start thinking like that. We are only human. However, there’s not a single man in the entirety of history who that is true for.

React: God has always and will always be with us. Sometimes it feels like he’s not there but it’s important to remember he has a plan for us. It could be something we are being taught, or even a test of faith (like God did with Noah). But remember the story of Noah, for example, God told Noah to kill his own son for him. Yes, Noah was going to do it for God, but not without cost. Noah would have been in a world of negative emotions, at least a part of him would’ve been, and if he went through with it he would live the rest of his life with those feelings and worse. But God stopped him. 

Remember that despite whatever the circumstance is, God is there watching over us even if he feels far out of reach. Instead of taking our rage out on God for letting such things happen, we should try confiding in him. No matter what the problem is, he will be there for us and there is nothing more powerful than the love of God.

Respond:

Dear God,
I know I go through struggles in my life and there are times when I feel lost or alone and scared, but please help me remember that despite what’s going on in my life you’re going to be right there next to me the entire time. Help me be able to confide in you rather than looking for escapes from the struggles I go through. Most of all help me stay strong in the faith I have in you despite the hard times, because I know that you are my all-powerful and miraculous God.
Amen