Because of the many disastrous things that happen to a lot of people; some have been displaced, they have received discouraging words, their lives have been uprooted, and some, perhaps, have had their faiths shaken.
To these individuals, I ask you to see God in everything that has happened to you. A friend of mine once said that in every situation, she looks at every side of the problem to see what she can learn. To many of you, I know that it must be hard to look at your situation and see God’s handiwork, but pause long enough to see Him at work in your life.
Remember, in spite of his intimate relationship with Jesus, “Doubting Thomas” still refused to believe that Jesus, who had died on the cross, had been seen alive by the other disciples. Thomas said that only after he had actually felt the nail wounds in Jesus’ hand and the wound in His side would he believe that the other disciples had actually seen Jesus. St. John 20:24-29.
On certain occasion, you may struggled to believe, just as I am sure that some of you are still struggling to believe that God is in control of everything that has happened to you at this time in your life. There are times that a Christian’s faith gets trampled under the weight of concerns about their situations in life; their family, their work, health, their friends and even the world. Like “Doubting Thomas’” they may find themselves looking for proof that God is there – that He’s available and that He has the ability to restore all faith.
In the First Epistle of St. John, we are told that where there is love, there is God. We read, in fact, that God is love. When you are overwhelmed by life’s problems and begin to doubt, look for evidence of the presence of God. In every expression of love, a kind word, a sacrificial gift, an offer of help, in the trusting life of a baby, you can see that God is alive and at work everywhere around you. Don’t forget that God’s presence shines in every kindness and loving act that you see.
As Near as Your Breath – “And the Lord God . . . breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7(b) (KJV)
Most of the time we don’t think much about breathing; day after day we automatically breathe in and breathe out with little thought or effort. Usually we can’t even see our breath. However, on cold winter days, the contrast between the cold air and our warm breath when we exhale creates little short-lived clouds that are plainly visible.
Just as we are usually unmindful of breathing, we can pass our time oblivious to God. In Hebrews 13:5(b) – 6, God promises, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. But since we cannot physically see God, we often sail through our days barely aware of God’s presence.
We may utter a prayer in passing or spending a few minutes reading the Bible. But after that we sometimes give God little thought until we get into a crisis. Then we realize we need strength beyond ourselves. This contrast between our weakness and God’s power and comfort makes God visible. Our hard times have enabled us to see God, if only we will look for Him. But in reality, God is always as near as our breath. As Genesis 2:7(b) tells us, our very life began with God’s breath. So every breath that we breathe can remind us of God’s constant presence with us.
Remember: When you take time for silence, it allows you to hear God’s guidance in times of your trials and tribulations.
