Word for the Day May 31
By:
Evang. Cascille Hammack
"A righteous man may have many
troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:19
When you are in the
midst of trouble, it seems it will never end. Indeed, sometimes God allows His children to go through a dark valley,
only to be met on the other side by a darker valley. These are tests of your faith. When you can't see any light
at the end to the dark tunnel, you must blindly trust God, for He is the light. Many times He will leave you in your
trial so others may see how you go through the pain and suffering. Think of Daniel in the lion's den. When they
saw he was not harmed by the hungry lions, he was promoted and God was praised. Think of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego.
They were left in the flames, but a fourth one was seen of gold walking with them. When the king saw this and that they
were not harmed, God was praised.
Sometimes the flames are not leaving and the lions
will go no where. You may think you are so spiritual that when you walk into the flames, they will instantly go out.
Or when you are unfairly thrown into the lion's den, the lions will turn and run or their teeth will fall out. Instead,
the flames are turned up seven times hotter and the lion's teeth are bared and remain strong. In fact, they will surround
you. But God must testify to the world through you that He is real and He alone delivers His children. We do not
tell Him how to deliver us. He does not always inform us how He will deliver us. We are to trust Him as
Shadrach, Meshack and Adednego said to the king at the threat of being thrown into the furnace, "O Nebuchadnezzar,
we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the
God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we
want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." They
said, "even if He does not..." We are to live and breathe and walk our faith. In Him is our life
and it is eternal.
When
the trials come, stop looking for a way out. Lock the door in the furnace and in the lion's den and STAND on your FAITH
and TRUST in God to deliver you. You can not deliver yourself. You can not be God. You will definitely kill
yourself. Let Him display His power for you. He will. That
is WHY you are in the trial. And stop worrying about the intensity of the flames and the
furiousness of the lions. Are you expecting the lions to like you and cuddle with you? Sometimes trials come directly
from our circumstances and sometimes from people. If they don't receive you and the Word you give them, do what the
Word says and wipe the dust from your feet in protest and keep going. Stop expecting lions to be lambs. If people
reject the Word you give them move on. Man's rejection is God's protection. Leave them in His hands. He
will handle them. He will also make the flames so that they will
not harm you. The flames will not go away, they will get seven times hotter but He will give you the ability to
endure it and He will get all of the glory. This is the purpose of your trial. To show the world the God
you serve is real.