Living for God in a Godless Society Part 2Sample

WALKING THROUGH A GOD-SIZED PROBLEM

To be human is to suffer. The harsh reality of our lives on this side of heaven is that we will have pain and suffering. Perhaps, a lot of it. The world wasn’t designed to answer all of the questions we have and all of the hurt we experience. There are no worldly protections that we can employ or acquire that will keep us from suffering.

We can look to Daniel’s story to gain insight into how we can walk through God-sized problems in our lives. In today’s reading from Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar is suffering through bouts of insomnia and bad dreams. He seeks out the wisest men in the kingdom to help him figure out what it all means. He’s so desperate to make sense of what he’s experiencing that he threatens all the wise men with death if they cannot give him answers. Unsurprisingly, they have nothing to offer him and even acknowledge to the King that whatever he’s dealing with can only be answered by gods who aren’t walking among man.

The only balm to this worldly pain is to know God and be in a relationship with him. We can see through the story of scripture how God shows up in humanity’s suffering. No God-sized problem is too big for God. As followers of Jesus in this modern world, we have the benefit of knowing the end game. Jesus came down to earth, lived a life among men, suffered, and died on the cross so our sins would be forgiven. Our earthly suffering isn’t the end. There is a better life to come.

In the book of 1 Peter, Peter writes to followers of Jesus, encouraging them in their suffering and pain. He reminds them that they can be full of hope in their suffering because of Jesus’s promise of life after death for those who believe in him. We are offered this same hope.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10

But, this doesn’t mean life on earth will be easy. So, over the next few days, we’ll look at Daniel’s story to discover how to walk through God-sized problems.

Ask Yourself and Reflect:

-How am I like King Nebuchadnezzar when I have a problem or something is causing me pain?

-How does (or how should) the hope I know exists because of Jesus’s death and resurrection influence how I suffer? *refer back to Peter’s words in 1 Peter 5:10*

Pause to Pray: Read Psalm 63 and meditate on the words as your prayer today

Take a Next Step: What is one area in your life TODAY that you can actively decide to hand over to God? Once you identify it, call it out, and hand it over, and leave it with God – “God, I give You _______. You know what I do not. Teach me to trust You in this suffering.”