HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU
Psalm 55:4-6 NIV
[4] My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. [5] Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. [6] I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
Psalm 55:19, Psalm 55:22
[19] God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change—he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God. [22] Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
There are times when, like the psalmist, we feel pursued by enemies or surrounded by difficulties. Our enemy may be financial trouble, ill health, or a person who misjudges or opposes us so that our “heart is in anguish” (v. 4). At that point we may be tempted to run away, retreat, or give up. But the Lord offers us something better. In this psalm, trials and problems cause us to cry out to him. Someone once said, “If you are swept off your feet, it’s time to get on your knees.” God encourages us to turn to him and call on him in our distress so that he can rescue us and keep us safe in the midst of the trouble.
He may not immediately take us out of the situation, but he will guide us through the circumstances. He gives us a wonderful promise: If we give our burdens to him, he will take care of us and not allow us to slip and fall.
Philippians 4:4-7 NIV
[4] Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 13:5-8 NIV
[5] Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” [6] So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” [7] Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. [8] Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
“To remember your leaders” who spoke the Word of God to you is important because you will see their way of life! Because a leader is someone who leads by faith.
A leader is a disciple of Christ who has an example of trusting God in good times and hard times in their life and has stayed faithful no matter what. You will want to imitate a person’s way of life by seeing their way of way.
1 Peter 1:6-9 NIV
[6] In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. [7] These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, [9] for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
All disciples of Christ face such trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. We must accept trials as part of the refining process that burns away impurities and prepares us to meet Christ. As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off.
Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen our faith, making us useful to God.
Instead of asking, “Why me?” we should respond to our suffering with a new set of responses:
(1) Confidence that God knows, plans, and directs our lives for the good. It’s hard to calculate sometimes, but God always provides his love and strength for us. God leads us toward a better future.
(2) Perseverance when facing grief, anger, sorrow, and pain. We express our grief, but we don’t give in to bitterness and despair.
(3) Courage because with Jesus as Brother and Savior, we need not be afraid. He who suffered for us will not abandon us. Jesus carries us through everything.
Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT
[11] There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. [12] You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. [13] For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. [14] Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
John 14:1-2 NLT
[1] “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. [2] There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
Our life is a mist, here today or gone tomorrow.