Rehearsing God’s Faithfulness

Rehearsing God’s Faithfulness in Troubling Times

It was 5 weeks ago today that I fell and broke my left humerus.

I didn’t think I could survive this affliction the pain was so excruciating and it left me quite debilitated.

But here it is five weeks later and the Lord has helped me persevere despite what I was dead certain I could not live through. He is showing me yet again that He will never fail me in the trials He takes me through. He in His limitless love, mercy, and faithfulness has provided everything I’ve needed and so much support and prayer from so many wonderful people.

Through every trial He takes me, though it’s never pleasant, I’m always reminded He is always with me and He never fails. If He hasn’t failed me thus far, then I don’t have to walk in fear and doubt that next time a crisis occurs, He might slip up.

But as the following scripture passage from the Book of Hebrews relates, that is just what happened long ago to God’s special people whom He rescued from Egypt.

“God’s Holy Spirit says this:

‘You must listen when you hear God speak today.

Do not refuse to obey Him.

Do not be like God’s people many years ago.

When they travelled in the wilderness, they turned against Me.

They wanted to see if I would punish them.

For 40 years your ancestors saw the great things that I did.But still they did not obey Me.

That is why I became angry with them. I said, “They always want to do what is wrong. They refuse to understand My message.”

Because of that, I promised to punish them. Because I was angry with them, I said, “They will never arrive in My special place of rest.” ’

So be careful, my Christian friends. Do not refuse to trust God.That would be a very bad thing to do.

Do not turn away from the God who lives for ever.

Instead, help each other to be strong every day.

Today, you can still hear God’s message.

While that is still true, do not refuse to obey God.

Do not think that sin will not hurt you. That is a lie.

We must continue to trust Christ very well, as we did when we first believed in Him.

We must continue to trust Him until the end of our lives.

Then we will share in everything that is His. We have seen what the Bible says:

‘You must listen when you hear God speak today. Do not refuse to obey Him.

Hebrews 3:7-14 EASY

FEAR AND DOUBT

The Hebrew children saw God’s mighty works, His miracles, for forty years as they traversed the desert wilderness.

God often tested their faith, but instead of trusting Him building on the experience of how He’d brought them through the previous times, they repeatedly fussed, doubted, and complained against God and grew not in their faith.

They seemed never to cross that bridge of fear and worry to advance with God toward the Promised Land.

This gives us a sobering message and warning.

For all God’s children will be tested in our faith according to His Word. However the Lord asks that we trust Him.

How often The Lord in His mercy has spoken to my heart in the midst of countless afflictions, “These troubles are not going to kill you. However, fear, stress, doubt, and depression ~ now these are the dark things that can kill you. But trust, hope and faith will conquer those things and you have to choose to walk with Me by faith.”

“Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”

Psalms 34:19 HCSB

He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken.”

Psalms 34:20 HCSB

I asked the Lord, why He didn’t keep His scripture promise to protect my bones.

The Holy Spirit reminded me that first of all Psalm 34:20 is a prophecy referring to the Lord Jesus Christ specifically, but in a metaphorical sense the Lord will keep all the bones of His children from breaking always.

What are bones? They are the foundation of our body. And God in this verse is promising to hold together my very foundation no matter what adversity I might have to face from any trial He puts me through. Jesus Christ God’s Son, holds all things together, even the very foundation of my being.

“Christ is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:17 HCSB

No matter if everything seems like it is going to fall apart, Christ is still here, ever present, holding all things together. His word promises “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word…” Hebrews 1:3 HCSB

Peter wrote:

“You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 1:5-7 HCSB

Whatever challenge we may find ourselves in right now, it is a good idea to look back over the trials we have faced in the past and write down how God has brought us through those hard times.

Rehearse how faithful the Lord has been to you and give Him thanks. This practice will strengthen your faith.

I know He has never failed our family or anyone I can think of who has trusted in Him. So many people I know have amazing stories to tell of His awesome faithfulness.

We might be tempted to think that if the Hebrew children had taken the time to review God’s amazing miracles with each trial they faced during their forty year sojourn, perhaps faith would have overcome doubt and fear.

However, no one can judge them. For it must have been very hard for those people. Whenever I put myself in their shoes I shudder and thank our merciful God for sending His Son Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for our sins, He is our Mercy Seat.

Personally I know from some of the testings the Lord has put me through that I am certainly no better than His precious Hebrew children were. And I am so grateful for His mercy and grace expressed in the sacrifice of His Son. For we turn the chapter and the writer of Hebrews offers us hope:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens —Jesus the Son of God —let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.”

Hebrews 4:14-16 HCSB

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins that we may be forgiven and made Yours forever. Help us to review the ways in which You have come through for us in the past and trust that You will never fail us no matter what is going on now to challenge our faith. Thank You, Lord, we love You, In Jesus holy name, amen.

Come Boldly

Peaceangelsong, “Rehearsing God’s Faithfulness in Troubling Times,” Copyright © 2022, Suzanne Davis Harden, All Rights Reserved. Original Scripture Paintings (Images) Copyright © Suzanne Davis Harden, All Rights Reserved. All Creative Work by Suzanne Is Accomplished Through The Indwelling Risen Lord Jesus Christ, Inspired by His Holy Spirit, To The Glory of God The Father, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture Quotations taken From

The HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) Holman Christian Standard Bible®
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

The Easy English Bible www.easyenglish.bible

The King James Version Bible (Public Domain)