Divine Disruption: Holding on to Faith When Life Breaks Your HeartIhe Atụ

Is He God or Not?

Anthony

On a visit as a kid to Six Flags Over Texas, I raced to my favorite ride, the Shock Wave. I thought I was ahead of the line only to be told by a maintenance engineer that the ride was shut down. “It won’t be open today. Or even tomorrow,” the engineer explained. “See, we’re turning you upside down twice in an open-air car that’s going sixty miles per hour. So we have to take our time and make absolutely sure that every tiny bolt, screw, and wheel on this thing is safe and secure.”

I stood there and thought about what the engineer had said. On the one hand, I was disappointed. On the other hand, I knew what he was telling me was not only true, but it was for my own good. I was simply going to have to wait. So I had to decide something that morning. Did I believe the engineer knew what he was talking about or not? 

In the same way, we have to make a decision concerning God, the One who engineered our minds, bodies, and spirits. Can we take Him at His word? Does He know what He is talking about when He decides to shut things down in our lives? Life can be a lot like that roller coaster; it moves fast and whips you every which way. Far less damage is done when repairs are made and maintenance is attended to—even when things are seemingly at a complete halt. What makes it hard is when you watch other people’s lives moving at one hundred miles per hour and they seem to be having the best time. In those moments, you and I have to make the decision that we trust the Engineer on our unique journeys and that He will do what He promised to get us back on track. 

Our family felt like life was shutting down when, within a short span of time, God called several close family members home to heaven. When our lives of ministry took a sharp turn in the face of a pandemic. When our prayers for healing weren’t answered according to our desires. When you feel like your life has shut down and you have to wait, do you trust the Engineer? When the ride has been disrupted, are you going to have faith that God is still in control?

Tony

I have always believed that God is sovereign, even in the midst of bad times. Nothing happens that does not first pass through the hands of God. Within that sovereignty, I have to function in a way that seeks to glorify Him and bring good to others. I firmly believe that serving others is a key to enduring in difficult times. When we minister to the hurting and lost, God ministers to us. By blessing, we are blessed.

It’s easy to praise the Lord when all is well and life is good, prayers are answered, miracles are witnessed, victories are won. We get confused about God when the opposite occurs. But God is God in good times and bad. In Job 13:15, Job said, “Even if he kills me, I will hope in him” (CSB). True faith praises through the storm. Just like our family, Job went to a whole lot of funerals in a short amount of time, too.

God’s grace and blessing ever flow. I serve others, doing my best to live in a manner worthy of the calling. God blesses me. Out of that blessing, I continue to serve others even more. And God continues to bless. Living water is never stagnant. It flows persistently, streams into rivers into the sea.

In this life there will be sorrow and pain. Wars will be fought. Disease will spread. Conflicts rise. But I would rather face crisis with God than to face it alone.

Respond

How does believing God is good and sovereign affect how you handle difficult circumstances that you don’t understand?

How can God’s Word and worship help you wait on God when life feels like it is shutting you down?

What mindset do you want to have when you face the next disruption in your life? How can serving others help you face crisis with God’s strength?

Prayer

Lord God, You created the heavens and the earth, and I now make a decision to trust You in all circumstances. I know that life brings sorrow and pain, but I also acknowledge that You provide mercy and grace and bring unexpected blessings to Your people as we walk with You. I know that in spite of the way I feel, I can face anything in my path through the strength You provide to those who call on Your name. Amen.