“I call to the Lord for help . . and He answers me.” Psalm 3:4 TEV
“Opportunities often come disguised as obstacles.”
My thoughts today are about “obstacles and opportunities.”
One experience that we all will share in common is trouble. Every person experiences some measure of difficulty, maybe in different form or severity but as our common experience. That admission is not a negative confession; it is just stating an unwanted reality. Rather than being surprised – or shocked – when you experience such challenges, the old Boy Scout motto says it best, “Be prepared!” Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV.
There are varying origins of stressful circumstances. The Bible differentiates between “tribulation and persecution.” Matthew 13:21 NKJV. I distinguish those as troubling situations and troublesome people, similarly worrisome but not the same in nature. You will face both at different times. Sometimes, a troubling circumstance can be the result of your decisions and choices, but usually such moments are just the random occurrence of everyday life. Every problem does not have a malicious source, but any problem can have a disruptive, even destructive, result if not handled in a Godly manner. Cause is not really an issue to solve; your carefully chosen response is where the real answer rests. You can stumble or you can step up.
Trouble will take you somewhere; your reaction determines where. It can stunt your progress, or stimulate it. “Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow; for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” James 1:2-4. NLT. Strong in character and ready for anything; how great is that?
Things are rarely as they first appear. Opportunities often come disguised as obstacles, and usually obstacles and opportunities come as pairs. In my struggles and failures more than in successes, I have learned who I am and what I firmly believe as truth. There are elements of the Kingdom of God – such as His character and power – that you would not know if your life were trouble free.
Paul and Barnabas’ ministry priority was, “strengthening the souls of disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God.’” Acts 14:22 NKJV. Hardship is not the price of admission to the Kingdom; Jesus paid that price. However, that is the cost of knowing the powerful truths and greater fullness of His rule and reign.
“They say . . God will not help me . . I call to the Lord for help . . and He answers me.” Psalm 3:2/4 TEV. It is not what “they say” that matters. What God says and what you believe matters most. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV. Here’s what is true: Problems, whatever their source or nature, cannot separate you from God and His loving care. Read Romans 8:35- 39 NLT.
My prayer for you today is to trust God’s Word more than your opinion, or others’.