“I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.” (Psalm 118:13)
Have you been pushed so hard and fallen so hard that you wondered if you could ever get back up? That has been my case lately.
I feel like life has pushed me very hard. The death of my father recently, and also endless bouts of fever. The fever would not respond to antibiotics because the infection was out of control thanks to my medication, which had suppressed my immune system. Sometimes you feel like you are going down for the count.
Yet God doesn’t leave us on the floor, but picks us up, bringing hope into the dark places of our lives. The surgical procedure I had done appears to have helped with the fevers and infection, I’m seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.
There are times when we feel that life has pushed us too hard. I don’t think there is anything wrong with reminding God that He has promised not to let more come our way than we can endure, and that we need His help, especially in such times.
Faith is a word sometimes misused, but I think true faith is trusting God when things look their darkest, when the road ahead seems impassable, and when life’s challenges are pressing us to our knees. This is when it comes down to trusting God or not.
And it is not always easy to trust Him when it seems we are being bowled over by life. I don’t mind admitting that like the man who Jesus chastised for his unbelief, I too sometimes say: “I believe Lord, help my unbelief”.
If life has you down right now and circumstances seem overwhelming, look up to God, tell Him your needs and concerns, and believe that He will give you light at the end of your tunnel.
Prayer: Dear Lord, life sometimes pushes us too hard, help us through these times, and help us always to believe. Amen.
About The Author:
Karlton Douglas lives in Ohio with his lovely wife. He has both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Crohn’s Disease. He depends upon God daily to see him through.
Great perspective and truths. Thanks for sharing.
Karlton: Good to see another devotional from you, even though you expressed deep trials you’ve recently been through.
I was reading in 2 Cor.1:8 this morning about a time when Paul was “burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that (he) despaired even of life.” Isn’t that how many of us feel at times? I’m thinking you were referring to 1 Cor.10:13 when you said that nothing is wrong with reminding God of His promise. I believe that the Greek word for “temptation” can be translated either as “temptation” or “trial”. Could it be that when we think we can’t take any more, we have a choice to either turn to Him for “the way of escape” or turn away? Maybe it really means that, when we feel like our circumstances are unbearable, He will provide the grace to persevere and not reject Him (or sin).
Does this make any sense or am I just repeating the obvious? I have a habit of talking too much too! 😉
Thanks for your comments Rhonda! That’s a nice name–it happens to be my wife’s name 🙂
Beth, yes, I think trials are the worst kind of temptation. I believe in the book of James he uses trials pretty much the same way as temptations. There are things that appeal to our flesh to tempt us, but for many of us our trials are within our flesh, in our body, crying out for attention, wearing at our will to believe, to trust God as we try to reconcile His goodness and care with very obvious torment. My comfort is being able to turn to Him for comfort within my affliction. But this is not easy, we want to complain, cuss, shout at the rooftop that we should not have to suffer these things. Remember satan’s final test for Job was physical suffering–satan thought this the worst he could do to Job. There is nothing like physical, mental. emotional suffering to test our faith. So good point. We should keep the word temptation in mind regarding trials.