TOPIC:“Trusting God In Difficult Times”
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Romans 8:28-39
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Here is a beautiful baby girl born with normal vision. At six weeks old she caught a cold. The family doctor was away so they had to use another doctor. Through the blunder of this country physician she became totally blind. Oh the sadness of those two Christian parents.
There was a Christian family in the Midwest that was returning home from a vacation trip. They were anxiously anticipating seeing their little daughter again. As they drove up the driveway the little girl was standing on a balcony, waving a childish welcome. In her excitement she leaned over too far and fell to her death. It was a tragic homecoming. For a time the light went out in that little home.
There you have two examples of this truth: Bad things do happen to God's people. Saints do have their struggles. We are not exempt from trouble. Family members get sick and die prematurely. Christian leaders disappoint us. Friends turn against us. Disagreements divide the Church of Christ. Tragedies are part of this life.
All these things and many more happen to those of us who love God and know Jesus as our Savior. The question is: How do we respond to these events? Can we still trust God? Can we continue to rejoice in God when things go wrong? The answer to all these inquiries is absolutely yes. I am here to say that we should trust God at all times and under all circumstances. Like the prophet Habakkuk who though in the midst of starvation because of crop failure, still declared:
“Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
. . .