(ThyBlackMan.com) When the sun is shining the blessings flow like water. Every idea seems to be working, and the seeds we’ve soon on good ground seem to be producing a bountiful harvest. Even when a few challenges occur it seems like the swift hand of God is present to put the enemy down and restore order quickly. We walk into church feeling out best as we testify about the goodness of our God. We want to help others that are going through dark times to know trouble does not last always, and morning is coming. There is a deep-rooted need to encourage our sistahs as we keep them lifted in prayer. This is a beautiful season that is cultivated by faith and trusting God. We are studying our Word, counting it all joy, and love is all around us. There is always confusion and unrest in the world, and when you see it, you are unflinching, and you refuse to let fear grip your heart.
In this wonderful space you are not immune to mistakes, challenges, and spiritual battles. When the blessed sunny skies become cloudy, and those clouds don’t rapidly disappear what will you do? When you find yourself in darkness does the same strength and trust in God prevail or do you say, “I’m human”, and begin the slow descent into a dark and stormy season whereby every challenge and hardship is magnified in such a way that it overwhelms you. The issues become mountains so high that they touch the sky and block out any trace of the sun. Feeling down and discouraged is not the issue, because yes, we are human and imperfect, the problem could lie with what we do at this moment.
The challenges of life will always be the test of our faith. They will show us whether we trust God to be God or not. Far too often we are quick to praise God and speak of his magnificence when everything is going well, and we do so in the faces of those in despair. If not careful one’s witness will be tossed out the window because far too often, we find it too difficult to follow our own advice. When you go through hardship you will feel all of it, and you may feel it deeply…challenges can send our emotional state into a tizzy. However, if we are rooted in God’s Word, we know this is the answer to the adversity. There is prayer, praise, trust and faith. Faith is what we say, and what we do. When the storms of life are battering your home, you must draw up the courage to tell the storm “Peace be still” and mean what you say. If there was ever a time to have the attitude of “I said what I said” and stand by such it’s when you are facing adversity in life. This isn’t about what is easy or difficult.
Remember when you were testifying to the sistahs in church and in the community…you wanted them to know that no matter how hard life hits, God’s strike back was unthinkably harder. You wanted those women to understand that they can’t throw in the towel they had to stand. When hell knocks at your door you must do the same. It could be losing your job unjustly, a car accident, losing a loved one, sickness in the body, the deterioration of a relationship, issues with the children, infighting in the family, having what’s going on in the political arena touch your life specifically, situations that threaten your ability to meet your needs financially, natural disasters that destroy your home, getting physically attacked by another person, feeling betrayed by a loved one, and this list could go one forever as the challenges and adversities can present in various ways…and it could a combination of several hardships coming at you at one time. You may look up and say, but Lord it was my fault…my mistake or oversight caused the calamity. Even in this God is with you.
It is important to magnify God larger than any adversity you face. Allow that to become a principle in your life to the point it is second nature to you. When adversity arrives decide that no matter what you see or feel you will stand on God’s Word knowing that he goes before you in all things. We always say, “there is nothing too hard for God” …the keyword is NOTHING. We must declare that God is bigger than the issue so that we have the faith to believe him to see us out of the matter. Even if you find that it is your fault…God forgives, so forgive yourself and let him go before you on the matter. I’m by no way saying that you will be back to clear skies asap. I’m saying that if God is standing with you it can be done, and that is the focal point. The same unshakeable trust in God we have when everything is well, is the same trust if not more we must have when the sky appears to be falling. If we can gather the courage to magnify God in our darkest hour…we may not know how (which isn’t our concern) but we know without a doubt he will bring us out.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; C. Starr and also Twitter; MrzZeta.
Also via email at; CStarr@ThyBlackMan.com.