Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. Isaiah 50:10 NIV
Struggles and challenges are a part of every believer’s life. Acknowledging Christ as Lord and Savior does not shield one from the difficulties that life presents.
In the Bible, we read about the sufferings of Job. Satan chose Job to challenge God, and God tested Job’s faith by allowing Satan to afflict him with many problems. Job had to undergo a great deal of physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil. But not once did he give up his faith and trust in God.
Similarly, in our lives, we may face situations that are beyond our understanding and beyond our finite knowledge of this world. Many times, there is a battle going on in the spiritual realm for our sake. We might think that these difficulties are due to something we did wrong, but they could simply be a test of our faith in God.
While fearing God is important, obedience is crucial. The Bible teaches that obedience is better than sacrifice. During times of pain and suffering, we must resist giving up or losing hope, because God sees and rewards the perseverance of the faithful. We must not forget that many times it is God who is holding us, not the other way around. This is a reality for many of us at various points in our lives—God continues to hold and support us.
The verse of the day serves as a reminder to trust in the name of the Lord. Even when we feel as though we have hit rock bottom, God is our redeemer. As soon as we begin to rely on Him, He lifts us from the darkest places and raises us up. He transforms lives, replacing hearts of stone with hearts of gold. Such experiences reveal that God is the only one we truly need.
Life is full of changes, but praise God that He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.
