The Reality of Hardship

Many of us in WFA do not like to talk about hardship and suffering but these are realities that we cannot avoid in life, for our children, our loved ones and ourselves. We recently discussed hardship and read about God's goodness in the 23rd Psalm - a much loved portion of the scripture that contains some of the Bible's most profound truths. It tells us that God is the Shepherd of His people. Jesus refers to Himself as the "good shepherd" who gave His life for us in John 10:11-16. This is a beautiful picture that God is a good shepherd of His people and that we are the sheep of His pasture.

We therefore depend on God to guide us and protect us and even if we walk in "the valley of the shadow of death" we do not have to fear because God is leading us. King David, who once was a young shepherd said, "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me". In addition to God's supernatural rod and staff comforting His people, the Word of God can be a rod and staff both for protecting and leading us.

Like goodness, God's unwavering love and mercy will follow or pursue us like a parent following after a young child (sometimes seen in WFA during Sunday worship!) - an image of God coming after us when we face hardship, helping us to overcome challenges and assuring us that His unfailing love will always be there whatever happens. God's goodness endures even when hardship and disaster occur. He words for our good, giving us good things we do not deserve. Mercy means that because of Jesus, God will hold back the condemnation we deserve for our sin. When God inspired the Psalmist to say "And I will live in the house of the Lord forever," it means that God has prepared a place for each one of us in Heaven. The well-known author Rick Warren says that his is one of the most important connections in the Bible. It connects yesterday with today and then connects them both with tomorrow. The 23rd Psalm ends by assuring us that we are doing to Heaven. With God, things will not only get better but Jesus saves the best until Last. We have assurance in 2 Corinthians 5:1 that the best is yet to come - "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens."

And Scripture says that it will be forever. Some day our bodies will die, but we will not. Our body is going to end, but it will not be the end of us. All of us are going to end up forever in one of two places - heaven or hell. These are both real places but Christians can be completely confident about the future. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 reminds us "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well places rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord".

Hardship strengthens us and even death is a promotion placing us in a place better with no more problems. We must all die someday but scripture tells us we are not ready to live until we are ready to die. If you have accepted Christ, you are going to Heaven. You will be released from pain, from sorrow, from suffering, from fear. Revelations 21:4 tells us "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying ... no more pain, for the former things have passed away."