Finding strength in difficult times

This past year has been incredibly tough year for my church family.  We experienced many difficult losses.   Last July we lost a little girl in a tragic accident and then last week we lost a key member of our church in a boating accident.

Also,  many of my church family have experienced other losses in their lives this past year.  Loss of parents, loved ones, friends and family.

In a lot of ways it seems like too much to handle.  In a lot of ways it seems like the weight is too much to carry. And it would be very easy for us to feel defeated and want to give up.

I believe that at these times in our lives when we don’t understand and we are left with more questions than answers, we need to focus on the character of God.

I read a great quote this morning.  It said:

“Focusing on the character of God helps us to take our eyes off our circumstances.”

For me, this doesn’t mean that we pretend that our pain and losses are not real or they did not happen.  For me, this means not allowing our pain and our losses to cloud our view of who our God is.

I believe that more than any other time in our lives, when we are grieving and when we are hurting we must choose to focus on God. We must choose to remember and to reflect upon His character.  This is where we will find our strength.

Last year, after Joy’s death, I meditated on this characteristic of God: God is my helper.  I found strength in Psalm 121, specifically verses 1 and 2.  These verses say:

“I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

These verses were a great source of strength for me then and they are a great source of strength for me now.

Over these last several days I have been meditating on this characteristic of God: God is my refuge and my strength. Psalm 46 (specifically verse 1) has been on my mind and heart.  Psalm 46 says this:

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

God is our refuge and our strength, an ever present help in trouble.

I looked up the meaning of the word “refuge” in the dictionary. This is what I found it means:

(1) a safe place
(2) something or someone turned to for assistance or security
(3) a shelter from danger or hardship
(4) act of turning to for assistance.

I think all of these meanings perfectly describe how God is our refuge!

The image that comes to my mind when I hear the word “refuge” is being in a lighthouse during a storm.  Even though there is a storm going on, there is still refuge, there is shelter.

I have never been in a lighthouse during a storm but I can imagine there are few thoughts going on in one’s mind.  First, I can imagine being thankful for being inside the lighthouse during the storm – being thankful for the shelter that is there.

And second, I can imagine having to have trust that the lighthouse is going to make it through the storm.   To feel secure, you would have to remember the storms that have passed by before.  You would have to remember that the lighthouse had protected you from many storms before this one.

I think these two thoughts apply to us today as well.  We need to take time to remember and thank God for His role in our lives.

We need to take time to remember and thank God for His faithfulness to us.
We need to take time to remember and thank God for His many provisions in our lives.
We need to take time to remember and thank God for His presence in our lives.
We need to take time to remember and thank God for bringing us through previous storms in our lives.

Remember:

“Focusing on the character of God helps us to take our eyes off our circumstances.”

I know that this is not easy when we are in the middle of the storm of pain, hurt and grieving but we need to do it!

I know that when trials and difficulties come, a lot of times it is much easier to focus on the circumstance than it is to focus on God.

We need to fight against those tendencies!  We need to turn to our God, our refuge and our strength!

Instead of focusing on the storm, we need to focus on the God who shelters us from the storm and who can overcome the storm!

What attributes or characteristics of God have helped you through a difficult time?

***** This is a synopsis of a sermon that I preached at Port Hardy Baptist Church.

***** Emily from “Wherever He leads, I’ll go” shared this song with me. It is called “Your Hands” by JJ Heller. I shared it at the end of my message.

Related posts:

1. Finding my acceptance in Christ
2. Lessons from New York Part 1 – Finding peace
3. Lessons from New York Part 2 – Finding direction
4. Finding emotional rest
5. Please be my strength