Hope to Cope
Crises do not discriminate among people. Natural disasters, plane crashes, terminal illness, unemployment, war, violence, and crime affect everyone. These all lead to some level of suffering. How can we learn to cope?
The apostle Paul wrote, “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Let me make three exhortations that will help amidst difficult situations. First, do not worry about circumstances out of your control. Panic brings temptation to sin; and impatience promotes lack of trust. When much time had passed, Abraham tried to control God’s promise of a son (See Genesis 16:1-15) However, Moses was calm in the face of tough circumstances: he had the Red Sea in front and the entire Egyptian army in back. (See Exodus 14:10-30) You must have something to hope for to be able to look beyond the circumstances. Did Moses and the Israelites have reason to hope? They had God’s promise of deliverance (Genesis 50:24-25) So Moses gave three commands: (a) don’t be afraid—don’t be controlled by the circumstances; (b) stand still—don’t go running in a panic); (c) watch God’s salvation—don’t try to take matters into your own hands. Today’s problem will seem insignificant after God handles it. Second, do not put blame where it does not belong. Job declared his own righteousness in Job 31 and blamed God for all his troubles. (vv. 35-37) He was accusing God of being unfair, but God never promised to be fair. Third, do not expect to have all your questions answered. Abraham walked into the unknown, not having all the answers. Job got an education about God, mankind, and God’s purposes. Paul learned that God’s grace is sufficient for any circumstances. The best can come out in a crisis if you handle it the right way. Trust the Lord and receive His grace.
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
