This one is for me.

 

But as I write this, I can think of many other people I know who’ve undergone some form of persecution or challenge. Someone has been laid off, you have an unfair boss, there’s a rumor going around. You can think of more examples like these. It just so happens right now that I’m dealing with my own challenge. Navigating the politics of relationships can be a minefield. My viewpoint is that the dysfunction in an organization that creates that environment, and the time people spend trying to avoid stepping on a mine is waste of time and productivity. But if you’re in a minefield, you’ve got to figure out how to survive the surroundings. My instinct is to pull the ripcord – get out of there! But that’s not the best decision, just an emotional response. If you’re dealing with anything like this you know what I mean. If someone hurts you, be it a friend or an acquaintance, or a boss, you want to put as much distance as possible between you and the source of the pain.

 

 

Sometimes, that’s just not possible. So what I’m writing now are the thoughts and scriptures I’m using to remind me of who and what I am, so that I can stand in the place God has put me right now without fear. It’s not easy, and I don’t pretend to be really good at this. But I am better than I used to be, and the power that I draw from these reminders is invaluable. See if any of this helps you!

 

Deuteronomy 31:8

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

It’s easy for me to feel alone, afraid and discouraged in a situation like this. Moses shared this promise of God with Joshua and the people of Israel as he sent them into the promised land, though they weren’t there yet. This one promise covers all my fears in one reassurance and reminds me that the power I have is the power of God, which is vastly more than any I have on my own.

 

Psalm 37:1-4

“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon whither; like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

This is another one that helps me refocus. I get so dragged down by the scheming of others that my thinking becomes anxious and dark. I can imagine every possible negative outcome and then try to figure out how to manage each, before any of them have happened. This advice reminds me to lift my eyes, focus on God, and let the evil and wrongdoing take care of itself. What goes around comes around, karma comes through in the end, and God will take care of me when I keep my delight in him, not a job or my security or my plans.

 

Psalm 56:3-4

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”

God has it. I will praise, be it in my prayers, meditations, or my grateful list. Man can’t do anything to me that God can’t prevent, and if he doesn’t, it’ll be for the best.

 

2 Chronicles 20:15b

“This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.'”

Sometimes, things just look bad. King Jehosephat and the nation of Israel were facing what looked like certain annihilation by the army that was descending upon them. Read the whole chapter because it’s encouraging, but the summary is that God sets the ambushes that defeat the enemy army and fights the battle as he promises. Yes, I have to stand, but the fighting will be won because he is with me (see Deut 31 again).

 

 

My husband told our son a story this week that helped me make sense of the hard things we face. Sometimes it seems that our sufferings are meaningless. But what if they’re not?

There once was a man who was walking blindfolded but had never stumbled. One day while he was walking he tripped and fell. He took off his blindfold to see what tripped him and saw a pothole in the street. Before he had a chance to complain, he looked ahead and saw a huge chasm fifty feet ahead on his path. The fall into the chasm would have killed him. He fell on his knees and praised God for the pothole.

 

 

It may be that the potholes we face, the target on our back, the gossip or criticism we endure is to open our eyes to real danger or threat ahead. They may be the thing that saves us from a worse fate ahead. In any case, I choose to believe that these hardships and challenges are purposeful in my life. Like it says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

 

Do you have favorite scriptures, sayings, or quotes that lift your spirit when you face hard times? Please share in the comments below, and stay encouraged! Please share this post with anyone who needs a boost…