Hearing God in Times of Trouble

Author: Pastor Jonathan Cunningham

Psalms 46:10—He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Have you ever read the Bible and thought, “Of course, the Bible would say that?” Way, way easier said than done, though. If not, go back and reread the opening verse, think about the hardest time in your life, and answer the question, “Was I still? Here’s a better question, “Was I still at first?”

You could be going through the most difficult time of your life and wondering what “Be Still” really means.

As a parent of a one-year-old, being still just means giving me five seconds to do what I need to get done. The crazy thing is sometimes I need my son to be still for five seconds so that I can tend to his pain, hunger, tears, or diaper (his mess). Do you think he always gives me that time? Nope. Twisting, turning, screaming, crying, desperately wanting to be healed, fed, and clean. If Tyson truly realized that everything I’m trying to accomplish is actually for him to get exactly what he needs, he would be a little more still, right?

Well …

Are we, as God’s children, any different? We scrape our knees (unforeseen bill), break a bone (tragedy), need a new diaper (in a mess, our choices or not), and we start screaming out to God.

“Help me with this.”

“Take this burden from me.”

“I’m broken and need to be whole.”

God hears our cries, and He hasn’t abandoned us. Let’s take a look at John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” When reading the words in the Bible, it means Jesus is speaking if it’s written in red ink. So Christ Himself says not only will He not leave you, but He will come to you. The easiest way to be “found” is to stand still. We stand still, knowing He is a good Father; He’ll come to us and supply our needs.

Here’s what we miss a lot of times. “Be still” doesn’t mean “don’t do anything.” That is where it’s different between God and us as parents. We just need our sons or daughters not to move at all. Being still as a Christian means being still in His presence. That means regular prayer and time spent with God. Worshipping God both in song and our actions. Diving deep into scripture not to complete a devotion, but to truly learn more about Him and His character. It also means surrounding ourselves with people with whom we can be still in His presence. Those that push us closer to God and less time with those who don’t. The combination of these things and patience and trust is how we get through times of trouble.

I want to leave you with something that has really helped me in times of trouble. God has always found a way for me to encourage or share my testimony of trouble with others while they’re hurting. The way Christ delivered me through them has helped to give others the confidence and faith to be still. How incredible is it that the creator of the universe partners with us in this way to help others cross a bridge from us to Jesus?

Reflection

Father, I pray that You give me the confidence to trust in You and have the faith to come to You during my times of trouble. Please help me hear Your voice and know it is ok to be still in Your presence. Thank You that You are walking with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.