"God is for us all the time. No matter what the doctor says. No matter what happens with family. No matter what happens economically. God is either for us or He's not. It doesn't mean it always goes right for us but God is still on our side."
As believers I'm sure we've all found ourselves in difficult times when we wondered if God was with us or not. It definitely challenges our faith when we go through the hard times in our lives. We want to believe that if God loved us that we wouldn't go through pain or difficulties in life.
Have we read the Bible? Many people in the Bible experienced the same things. They went through the hard times and some even questioned God's love for them. I often think about the story of Job and remember how people talk about Him in the church. They lift up Job as some superhuman person who had a lot of patience but if we actually read the Book of Job we will find that he wasn't as patient about his situation as we think. He questioned God. God gave it back to him too.
Bad things happen to us all. We don't get a free pass because we are believers.
When we go through hard times it may SEEM that God is against us but the fact is that He is ALWAYS on our side. Our perspective is different than God's. We may see the negative doctor's report but God sees an opportunity for us. Psalm 46:1 tells us that God is our refuge and strength and a very present help in trouble. So what does it mean He's a "very present help"? It means that He's not passively sitting in there watching us struggle. He's there and ready to keep us calm during the storms in our life.
I know from experience that sometimes when I'm going through difficult times that I tend to withdraw from people around me - including God. I don't know why that's my tendency but when troubles overtake me I retreat into my shell when I should talk to God and allow Him to calm my anxieties. If I'm honest, sometimes I withdraw from God because I'm subconsciously mad at Him for my situation and probably feel that if He loved me then I wouldn't be in the mess I'm in. Of course, that's faulty thinking on my part but I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way. Those times should bring me closer to God, not back further away.
Believe me, there is not magical formula that God will perform but a strong faith will help you to endure. All we can do is what we can do and leave it to God.
One song that I often turn to is "Made Me Glad" which says:
And I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
And He has set my feet upon a rock
And I will not be moved
And I'll say of the Lord
You are my shield, my strength
My portion, Deliverer
My shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need.
