Waiting for the trumpet to sound can truly sap the strength of believers in Jesus. There is little respite where attacks from the author of confusion matter. It gets a lot messier and murkier as our redemption draweth nigh. Of late, the assault has been targeted at breaking the believer’s spiritual resolve; the adversary’s tactic now hits where it supposedly hurts most – causing severe relationship issues concerning loved ones and people who matter!
It is purely an instance of divide and demoralize! About any human being will grimace emotionally when, all of a sudden, the least likely persons in the intricate social network do the unthinkable if not unspeakable. Whether it is by word, deed, and in very bad cases, both – it can be likened to being sideswiped by a speeding freight train!
All these happenings occur amidst a darkening backdrop. So much so that a good many among the severely stricken end up as a virtual nervous wreck. It is very much like surgery devoid of anesthesia, except that the writhing pain is of a psychological and emotional nature – perhaps much worse than if it were purely physical! Particularly so when the post-traumatic effects do much more harm than just scars on the psyche. It has the propensity to modify entire mental states, enough to generate dysfunctional depressive episodes amidst bouts of sleeplessness!
There are many with this problem who will begin to question God’s love and the presence of the Holy Spirit. These folks will wonder and ponder, while almost submerged in hopelessness repeatedly on whether they were forsaken by the Lord of their lives. Their precarious position is extremely fragile, to a point whereby one smattering of negativity might be sufficient for going over the cliff! Did the evil one finally win? Not the case when we choose to go back to the Word of God!
In the Gospel of Matthew 10:35-37, our Lord Jesus made it clear that whatever is happening where human relationships go is to be accepted and tolerated by believers.
“For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.”
In plain and simple words, our Lord commanded us to love Him first above everyone else. That is obviously not the case when emotions run sky-high – followed by our human instincts in league with our intelligence; this brings into being a plausible collision course, one that truly brings laughter to the enemy. A can of worms scenario ensues, more than capable of rendering the sufferer spellbound to the point of spiritual incapacitation, unable to do much for the Lord’s Kingdom and Glory!
This is where our souls need a critical focus. Not on the overwhelming character of the situation but on He who has the infinite power to overwhelm situations! A lot of us will find it difficult to swallow the quantum leap of faith in our worldly state. We have undoubtedly had an overdose of better days to the point that nothing prepared us for the unthinkable. Take heart! We have the Comforter of Souls at the ready to assist us when we earnestly bawl out a distress call. Our hearts must first of all be willing to allow Him total access to every aspect of our lives – no more room for compartmentalization!
Resting on this renewed approach to problems is the need for fervent prayer – prayer that never runs out of steam but, on the contrary, is always pressing on with a believing heart. Belief in the power of Christ can never be humanly quantified. Instead of knee-jerk reactions, prayer should take precedence over other courses of action. It could be more than enough to steer one away from snares set up to torment the soul.
There is always that feeling of going it alone and feeling isolated and unloved when under the wicked one’s cosh [nightstick]. Take heart! You certainly have the company of the Comforter of Souls plus an unseen yet awesome Heavenly Host. Feel free to let Him work His way through whatever loneliness that is encountered. You might, through His working, find company through fellow sufferers like yourself. This is where the encouragement for one another becomes a source of strength!
Do not let the concern for the salvation of loved ones and those that matter be entirely on the shoulders of the believer. This is where the Lord comes in. Let these burdens be His battle, as they could be beyond our capabilities but not His infinite power. Our worrying does little to alter the situation, but bringing it to Him in prayer will make a significant difference.
For all those who have about finished reading this article, please bear in mind that there are many out there who need uplifting prayer and encouragement, as they are in the heat of spiritual battle. Some only have the Lord to turn to but may be out in the cold on a lonely spell. It would do a lot of good if you can spend some time with them, regardless of the distance – there is Zoom and email!
The Lord can turn a very bad situation around that will work for His Kingdom and Glory. It is on this noteworthy consideration that you will not lose out. When things like these look as if you are at wit’s end – be assured that when you turn to the Lord, you will in no way suffer loss. More important than any other thing on this planet, you, through much trials and testing, become more attached to Him. This is when the branch gets fully connected with the Vine!
In conclusion, let us look at Micah 7:5-7 for inspiration.
“Do not trust a friend;
Do not put your confidence in a companion;
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your bosom.
Daughter rises against her mother,
Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
A man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
Therefore I look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
My God will hear me.”
Put Jesus first.
Maranatha
Edwin
Contact me at edwinuk13@gmail.com