“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” (Ps 84:5)
Have you ever felt like your life is shattered by the unpredictable trouble and fear in recent years from the global pandemic, inflation boom, growing violence, and numerous natural disasters? It is hard to feel secure about our life and surroundings. The world is full of uncertainty, afflictions, and tears. Yet, we all need to face and pass through our journey of life to make the pilgrimage.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lam 3:24-26)
Being a child of God is blissful. We are blessed, protected, and guided by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Yet we may encounter difficulties and sickness throughout our journey of life. As every morning is new, God’s grace is abundant. We still have hope when we are in distress. Facing the pressures and difficulties of life, why not try to seek peace and rest from prayers, adjust our emotions, relax oneself, and find the strength to start again.
Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Ps 27:13 (BSB)
Sometimes God resolves our problems immediately. Other times God seems silent. When problems arise, we may be confident in God’s help and kneel before Him with a hopeful heart. But when hours, days, and years go by, and there is still no improvement to our situation, we may feel discouraged, afraid, or even angry. These are natural responses to uncertainty and distress, but if we focus on these negative feelings, we may eventually lose hope and doubt God.
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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2Co 1:3-4)
Paul calls God “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” God cares about us and helps us in our weakness and suffering. We may suffer for our faith or for the ministry. The source of suffering could be persecution, ideological disputes, differing ideas between members, natural and man-made disasters such as wars, famines, and a pandemic. But our Lord is an almighty, merciful, and loving God. He will help us. He will enable us to endure through our affliction when we rely on Him. The Holy Spirit is our comforter. The Bible says that “now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5). When we receive comfort from God, we are to pass on the comfort we have received to others who are in suffering.
“He gives power to the weak,
(Isa 40:29-31)
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
This is the promise of the LORD. When we are weary, tired, and faint, we will be able to continue our walk on the paths of righteousness if we wait on Him. God will renew our strength to mount up with wings like eagles, that the path of life no longer be arduous and difficult.