TROUBLES - An Opportunity to Remember Who God Is
Friend, we face troubles of many kinds in this life. Maybe you are facing some right now.
What if we chose to look at our troubles from a different perspective?
What if, instead of letting worry, doubt or fear overcome us,
we instead looked at our situation as an opportunity to remind ourselves
of who our God really is (through prayer and meditating on God's Word).
We might not consciously realize this, but, many of our worries might come from us doubting some aspect of God's character.
If that is the case, first, we must find out (through the help of the Holy Spirit and prayer) what aspect of God's character we are doubting.
Next, we must attack these doubts head on by filling our mind with God's word and the truth of that aspect of God's character and declaring it powerfully in prayer.
All over the Bible, God has revealed to us who He is.
Let us hold onto the truth and not let ourselves be deceived even a little.
What Are Our Worries Rooted In
Let us first start by prayerfully considering the exact thoughts that keep plaguing us.
Let us ask God to help show us what our worries means in relationship to Him.
It is important to remember that we cannot figure this out on our own,
we need to go to Him in prayer and ask Him to help us.
He loves us and will help.
For example:
If I am feeling helpless about a situation, I might be doubting God's sovereignty and control.
If I am feeling hopeless about something, I might be doubting God's good plans for my life.
If I am filled with fear and dread about a potential future outcome, I might be doubting God's love for me and doubting that He will only allow into my life those things that are (in the eternal perspective) best for me.
All of these thoughts, and the exact fears that the thoughts are rooted in,
all vary from person to person and situation to situation.
Only God, through the Holy Spirit, can show us what we need to be seeing
since He is the only one who knows exactly what is going on deep in our hearts.
Friend, let us take our fears to Him and pray and ask Him to reveal to us what we need to see. Is our specific fear rooted in our doubt of some specific character of who our God is?
As we walk through dark valleys, let us not allow the devil to deceive us of who our God is.
Uproot The Worry: Replace Our Fears With Remembering The Truth of Who Our God Is
Next, as God gives us understanding as to what our fears might be rooted in,
let us then start to look at these fears and our troubling situation with a different lens.
Let us use this as an opportunity to remind ourselves of who our God really is.
Let us look at our troubles as an opportunity to grow closer to our God.
An opportunity to trust Him more.
An opportunity to know Him more.
An opportunity for Him to reveal even more of Himself to us.
An opportunity to remind ourselves of everything that is true of Him
and by doing that, growing closer to Him, our Father.
Let us immerse ourselves in His Word and through prayer ask our God to help transfer our gaze from the dark ominous clouds looming ahead and instead fix our eyes on Jesus - the only one who can help us. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Let us use this opportunity to remember everything about our Father.
Let us not forget His character.
Let us keep praying and reminding ourselves of who He really is.
Who is Our God?
So, who is our God? What are a few of His characteristics?
Click on each item below to expand and view a list of supporting
Bible verses under each listed characteristic to encourage us and help us as we pray.
Our God is all powerful and completely in control of everything.
Colossians 1:16
"for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him."
Job 42:2
"I know, Lord, that you are all-powerful;
that you can do everything you want."
Isaiah 14:24
"The Lord Almighty has sworn an oath:
“What I have planned will happen.
What I have determined to do will be done."
Our God is good.
James 1:17
"Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
who does not change like shifting shadows."
Psalms 84:11
"For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless."
Psalms 107:1
"Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good.
His faithful love continues forever."
Psalms 145:9
"The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made."
Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose."
Our God is faithful.
Psalms 36:5
"Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies."
Psalms 89:8
"Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you."
Psalms 119:90
"Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
as enduring as the earth you created."
Exodus 34:6
"And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming,
“The LORD, the LORD,
the compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,"
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness."
2 Thessalonians 3:3
"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you
and protect you from the evil one."
2 Timothy 2:13
"If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is."
Hebrews 10:23
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,
for he who promised is faithful."
Our God loves us and cares for us.
Lamentations 3:19-24
"The thought of my pain, my homelessness, is bitter poison.
I think of it constantly, and my spirit is depressed.
Yet hope returns when I remember this one thing:
The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue,
Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.
The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope."
Psalm 40:1
"I waited patiently for the Lord's help;
then he listened to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 69:16
"Answer my prayers, O Lord,
for your unfailing love is wonderful.
Take care of me,
for your mercy is so plentiful."
Psalm 31:7
"I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love,
for you have seen my troubles,
and you care about the anguish of my soul."
Isaiah 49:13
"Sing for joy, O heavens!
Rejoice, O earth!
Burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on them in their suffering."
Psalm 147:3
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Romans 8:35-39
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?
Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity,
or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute,
or in danger, or threatened with death?
(As the Scriptures say,
“For your sake we are killed every day;
we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)
No, despite all these things,
overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.
Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—
not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—
indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us
from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Psalm 103:13
"The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him."
Isaiah 49:15
"So the Lord answers,
“Can a woman forget her own baby
and not love the child she bore?
Even if a mother should forget her child,
I will never forget you."
Lamentations 3:32-33
"Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow."
Psalm 119:156
"But your compassion, Lord, is great;
show your mercy and save me!"
Psalm 145:8
"The Lord is loving and merciful,
slow to become angry and full of constant love."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
Exodus 34:6-7(a)
"The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The Lord!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty."
Romans 5:8
"But God showed his great love for us
by sending Christ to die for us
while we were still sinners."
1 Peter 2:24
"He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed."
Our God wants what is eternally best for us. He is a God of details and planning. Everything He does has a good eternal purpose.
1 Corinthians 2:9
"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”"
Jeremiah 1:5
"“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”"
Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God’s masterpiece.
He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
Philippians 1:6
"And I am certain that God,
who began the good work within you,
will continue his work until it is finally finished
on the day when Christ Jesus returns."
Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose."
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."
Isaiah 44:24
"“This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,"
Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take."
1 Timothy 2:3-4
"This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
who wants all people to be saved
and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
2 Peter 3:9
"The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise,
as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake.
He does not want anyone to be destroyed,
but wants everyone to repent."
Proverbs 16:3-4
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster."
Our God is merciful and gracious.
Lamentations 3:22
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease."
Isaiah 30:18
"And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you.
He is ready to take pity on you
because he always does what is right.
Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord."
James 5:11
"We call them happy because they endured.
You have heard of Job's patience,
and you know how the Lord provided for him in the end.
For the Lord is full of mercy and compassion."
Nehemiah 9:17
"They refused to obey and did not remember
the miracles you had done for them.
Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader
to take them back to their slavery in Egypt.
But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful,
slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love.
You did not abandon them,"
2 Chronicles 30:9(b)
"The Lord your God is kind and merciful,
and if you return to him, he will accept you.”"
Psalm 116:5
"Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful."
Our God is just.
Deuteronomy 32:4
"“The Lord is your mighty defender,
perfect and just in all his ways;
Your God is faithful and true;
he does what is right and fair."
Psalm 89:14
"Your kingdom is founded on righteousness and justice;
love and faithfulness are shown in all you do."
Job 34:12
"Almighty God does not do evil;
he is never unjust to anyone."
Psalm 140:12
"Lord, I know that you defend the cause of the poor
and the rights of the needy."
Isaiah 61:8
The Lord says,
"“I love justice and I hate oppression and crime.
I will faithfully reward my people
and make an eternal covenant with them."
Deuteronomy 10:18
"He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice.
He shows love to the foreigners living among you
and gives them food and clothing."
Our God never changes.
Hebrews 13:8
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Isaiah 40:8
"The grass withers and the flowers fade,
but the word of our God stands forever.”"
Isaiah 40:28
"Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding."
Psalm 90:2
"Before you created the hills
or brought the world into being,
you were eternally God,
and will be God forever."
Revelation 22:13
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”"
Malachi 3:6
"“I am the Lord, and I do not change.
That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed."
Friend, I don't know what you are facing and going through today.
I am so sorry for what you are walking through.
But one thing I know and I will loudly declare with you - our God is an amazing God.
A God of wonders.
The Great I Am.
The next time we face something that causes us to worry, let us immediately start praying and loudly declaring the truth of who our God is.
Friend, keep trusting in Him.
I know some days it can be so hard.
But those are the days we need to cling to Him even tighter.
He loves us.
He knows what we are going through.
He's right beside us, watching over us.
He has a good plan for us.
Let us keep trusting in Him.
Praising Him for who He is and all that He has done.
Let us remember His faithfulness and goodness.
And as we do this, let us watch in amazement as our God washes away our fears and covers us with His peace and unexplainable joy even in the midst of unimaginable sorrow and troubles.
Isaiah 41:10
"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
Friend, keep praying these truths.
Keep trusting Him.
He loves you.
He is in control.
And He is good.
Forever and ever unchanging, He is our great God.
Let us end with (please find below) a Psalm that reminds us of WHO our God is and below that, a song of worship that will encourage us.
Psalm 103
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
7 He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!
19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
Lyrics of song "I Will Sing" by Don Moen
A million miles or more, it feels today
And though I haven't lost my faith
And I don't know where to start
I will sing, yes, I will praise, even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing, I will praise, lift my hands to honor You
Because Your word is true, I will sing
Lord it's hard for me to see all the thoughts
And plans You have for me, yes it is
But I will put my trust in You
Knowing that you died to set me free
And I don't know where to start
I will sing, I will praise, even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing, I will praise, lift my hands to honor You