THE GOOD TESTING OF FAITH

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The holy dwelling places of the Most High God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Psalm 46:1-7)

When in distress, all of God’s creation runs towards their refuge of choice. When wealth, health, or power are stripped from us, we find out what’s in our hearts and from where our stability comes. In what or in whom do we really put our trust? We live in a day when we tend to take things for granted more so than our ancestors before us. Learning to appreciate the magnitude of our blessings is a hard lesson one learns soon after being incarcerated. Because we are spoiled and self-centered creatures, we tend to count our blessings as entitlements. When times are good, we start to rely on the gifts instead of the Giver. Even when God moves His hand on a nation (or the world) to shake things up, He is doing something good. He is sifting the wheat from the tares. It’s always a good thing when the church that becomes stagnant or lukewarm is separated and forced to shine the light of truth to a lost and dying world. Paul told the Philippians: Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16)  Hard times produce the greatest blessings of God in the lives of true believers.

Today, April 3, 2020, the body of Christ, is having her faith tested. We all experience various or multi-colored trials at different times in our lives. Don’t you find it exciting that we are all in a very similar trial at the same time? Doesn’t it put you on the edge of your seat to watch for what the Lord is doing? I have loved the book of James for a long time. It was the first book study I taught to a group of women when I began doing Bible studies in my home shortly after my daughter died. Its truths reached down to fill every nook and cranny of my broken heart. It starts out with an attention grabber. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Psalm 46 starts out with truths that speak to a family. God is ‘our’ refuge and ‘our’ strength. He’s a very present help in trouble for all of those who put their trust in Him. James speaks to the brethren. And, he says that we need to consider it joy WHEN we encounter trials, not IF we encounter trials. Peter tell us that we shouldn’t be surprised by trials. He says we rejoice in the blessings that God has lavishly given us through His grace...even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7) Trials, tests of our faith, are necessary for the same good purpose that tests are taken in any academic sphere to measure what has been learned. Trials result in the testing of our faith which is for our good and His glory. The testing of our faith produces endurance. And aren’t you glad the Teacher doesn’t give us a test meant for a high school senior when we are still in the middle of kindergarten? But the faith that grew in kindergarten will one day be able to maturely handle the testing in college.  What makes an army general or the captain of a ship? That one is a tried veteran who can be relied upon.

The Lord will help us endure trouble, not necessarily take it away. Sometimes, it is necessary that we see His sustaining hand as He walks with us in our trials. Faith in God is the one thing we most desperately need in this life. As our faith grows through trials, it will mature into a faith that will hold us for a lifetime, ultimately preparing us for the final storm which is death. And always remember, Beloved, our faith is only as strong as the grace we’ve been given to cast it onto its intended Object. We believe by the gift of God’s grace.

Even before I was sent to prison, I began planting my feet firmly upon promises of God’s deliverance and vindication. The confidence He gave me in those promises was sure. As the days were ticked off the calendar, I soon began to wrestle with the fact that He was not doing things the way I had imagined or in my timing. And I started to look for other evidences of His deliverance IN my circumstances while not being delivered FROM my circumstances. I don’t remember when it dawned on me, but slowly I began looking back at the time period since Melissa’s death. He was with me through every moment of that ever-present trouble. That was a circumstance I could not be delivered from, but I had learned to trust His sustaining grace in it.

Engaging in new relationships with women, we get to know one another by sharing our "stories". I know I have been through some things that most Christian women will never go through. There are those who have been through things I will never go through. It took me a period of time after each major trial in my life to really process my theology. What do I mean by that? I knew the truths I believed with my mind when I went into both trials. It took some time for my heart to wrestle through them and come to the same conclusions. Only then could I truly rest in Him. Over the past few years since my release from prison, several friends have commented on my “strength”. I sincerely tell you that it takes all my strength not to laugh in their faces. Lest they get the wrong idea, I tell them the truth—God is my strength. The only strength I have comes from Him. I assure you that is not a trite, obligatory Christian response. Strong faith is learning to lean hard on the One who alone is strong enough to hold the weight of all our troubles protecting us from any damage to our faith. Me, strong? Honey, I’m as timid as they come, but I’ve learned to lean hard!

Today, I want to pick up in Psalm 46 with verses 4-7. There may be raging waters all around you, but there’s a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The city of God is the place associated with His presence, or His dwelling place. The holy dwelling places of the Most High God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. We may be in the midst of trouble, but God is in the midst of us to help us and protect us. One aspect of the fruit the Spirit produces in us as we abide in Him is peace. (See Galatians 5:22; John 15:5)

In verse 5 of Psalm 46 we see that God’s presence is constant, but also that His help is always at the right time. I wasn’t delivered from prison (my trial) the way I had imagined or hoped. What was gained in the battle as the Lord sustained and strengthened me was far greater. It is almost 14 years since I’ve been in this trial. My son and I were commenting on that fact yesterday. It seems as if it is the song that never ends. On many fronts, we’re still in this battle; but I am confident that ultimate deliverance will come because there are daily victories in this fight of faith. 

Lamentations 3 was a familiar passage to me in prison. The whole chapter speaks so deeply to my soul. Verses 19-23 illustrate a point relating to this passage in Psalm 46 of God’s help coming in the morning. Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind; therefore, I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. The word lovingkindness is a covenant word; so every time you see it in Scripture, remember that.

God determines when morning comes, not me. There is pain and weariness in the suffering, yet there is always hope of what is to come. In that anchor of hope, faith holds us securely. You’ve, no doubt, heard the phrase, “Everything will look different in the morning!” There is an appointed hour of deliverance, and His timing is perfect. Alexander MacLaren said: He will not come so quickly as to prevent us from feeling our need; He will not tarry so long as to make us sick with hope deferred, or so long as to let the enemy fulfill his purposes of destruction.

Just as Jesus delayed raising Lazarus from the dead—and just like at the right time He arose and spoke to the raging rapids around the disciples’ boat, He will speak, “Peace! Be still!” And the waters will not overtake us. God parted the turbulent Red Sea allowing His children to walk through a clearly cut path on dry land while the waves came crashing down on the heads of their enemies behind them. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10) After you have suffered for a little while…14 years in light of eternity is a blip on the screen…at the right time—God will help her.

God with us is Jehovah Sabaoth, Lord of Hosts or Lord of armies. Like Jed Clampett used to say, “Woo doggie!” This phrase should get us excited! The Lord of Hosts is the commander of the armies of heaven. There is all glory, might, and power behind this name. He’s the Victor of all battles. Many commentators say that this phrase, “God will help her when morning dawns,” refers to a specific situation that was occurring at the time this psalm was being written. The context is in Isaiah 37. Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead. (Isaiah 37:36) I believe it would be encouraging for you to read this verse in the context of the whole chapter. Because Israel made God her refuge, He was her high place, a tower far above the reach of her enemies.