Belief

Christine Wyrtzen Devotional:

WHAT I BELIEVE WHEN TROUBLE HITS
 
Let no man be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.  I Thess. 2:3

    The grid of my true beliefs is revealed when trouble visits my front door.  What I really believe about myself, and what I believe about how He rules His kingdom becomes apparent.  When there is a cancer of disbelief, down deep, pain drives this faulty theology to the surface. 

    Satan's goal has always been to become the object of my worship.  He attempted to assume God's throne and to this day, he is driven to destroy any reason upon which I would want to worship God.  If he can convince me that God is weak, that things are beyond God's power to heal, or that I am being punished through my trials, then he knows that it will be almost impossible for me to worship my Father.  Jesus said that God has to "seek for those who will worship Him."  (John 4:23)  Obviously, Satan knows how to make serious inroads to steal Jehovah's worship.

    While I may not be attending Satan's church and bowing at his altar, I can be suspended into limbo by the lies I believe about God, revealed through my hopeless ranting.  He snickers just out of sight that the arrows he shot at me, arrows of mis-interpretations of the events of my life, were embraced and believed.   He is always all too willing to analyze my troubles and concoct a version that encourages distrust of God's promises. 

    Self-examination when trouble comes is critical.  Have I disobeyed God and brought these consequences on myself?  Have foolish choices resulted in my plight?  Or, is this the suffering Jesus talked about, the kind that would accompany every child of God into the kingdom.  Let not a painful period in my life cause me to let go of my Savior's hand.  It is time for courage, for faith, and sound theology.

I am committed to let nothing interrupt my worship of You, Lord.  Amen