Trusting the Lord brings rewards but is also challenging along our journey. When things are going well, being thankful to the Lord and His blessings is easy. What happens when life becomes difficult, and our prayers seem unanswered? God may test us through a season of difficulty. Only by looking to the Lord can we move forward each day.
You may be experiencing a difficult time, and the Lord calls you to walk by faith and trust Him when nothing around you makes sense. The Apostle Paul tells us that walking by faith is not easy but worth it because the Lord always keeps His promises. Romans 10:11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[1] As believers, the Lord walks with us in this lifetime and takes us to heaven when this life is over.
Paul Trusted in the Lord
The Apostle Paul experienced many times when it would have been easy to give up, but he persevered. Paul gives us insight into his ability to maintain trust in the Lord and keep moving forward. Philippians 3:13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.[2]
Paul knew this life was not easy, but if he focused on his circumstances, the enemy would easily defeat him. Instead, Paul trusted the Lord and focused on the prize ahead, which was his Savior, Jesus Christ. When I find life burdensome, meditating on the verse above helps me to refocus and gain perspective.
The Lord is a God of Rewards
Revelation 2: 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. [3] This sobering verse reminds us of our battle and God’s reward for the faithful.
The older I become, the more I realize that the Lord molds and shapes us so we can fulfill His plans and purposes for our lives. Even though Jesus is always with us, it may not be easy. We also learn that believers who have trusted Jesus will not be disappointed no matter how complex their faith journey may be. In life’s difficulties, we must trust the Lord in the mess as we don’t always understand what God is doing. One day we will stand in awe of how the Lord worked in our life and how faithful He was in every moment.
To learn how trusting the Lord brings rewards, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/believe-speak-it
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.