Where to Turn in Crisis

In the past few days I have spent much time communicating with friends who are in crisis situations; one with her child, one facing the possibility of cancer, and another who is dealing with the diagnosis of a disease that the doctor’s say has no cure but which may have devastating implications on her future quality of life.

In every case, I have gone to the Lord in prayer. I have called upon His Name, reminded Him of His word, and trusted in His character. I have been overwhelmed with the privilege of knowing God personally and sensing His presence. I have been filled with peace, and know that He is faithful. I delight in knowing His power and His love is being poured out toward these precious sisters who know Him and have served Him with their whole hearts.

I wonder how people face situations like these if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and do not experience the power of His love. How do people deal with fear without knowing the one who conquerors fear? How do they face the unknown of the future without knowing the infinite God. What do they trust if not the secure promise that He has a good plan for their life?

What about you? Where do you go for help? Do you personally know the God who made you for relationship with Him? Where do you turn for answers? Have you experienced the love of the eternal Father and the comfort of His Holy Spirit?

Where do you turn if you DO know God? Do you still trust in things of the world or in human reasoning? Do you have a heart that instantly turns to Him, in the good times as well as in the challenging times? Are you experiencing all of God that you can? Are you living in His Presence moment by moment?

He makes the difference, not only in crisis situations, but in the big and small events of everyday life. He wants to be involved in every detail of your life.

I have talked in this blog about the lessons I learn though daily life. I have learned that we can only live one day at a time. We face each situation as they come along. We do not know the future for our personal lives, our family and friends, or our nation. We cannot control the future.

When crisis comes, we are faced with our own humanity, limitations and inability. But if that is all we understand, we can become hopeless. No human has the answers to life. No human has the power of life. Hope comes when we turn to God who is the giver of Life.

God reveals cures to mankind. God has given us some answers…but only those answers that He chooses to give to us. And if you read that and become angry, wanting to blame God for withholding information and revelation, then I challenge you to consider that He is God; we are not.

The nature of humanity is that when we have power or knowledge, we often take the credit, not giving the glory to God. But He is the source of all good things (James 1:17). In our humanity, we even can take things that He gives us for good, and use them for our own purposes and for destruction. God is wise in what He reveals and in what He withholds. He is also wise in when He gives and withholds. And all He does is for our good.

Where do you turn when hard times come? There is One who is always there. You may ask, “If God is there, loving me, why did this happen?” I cannot give you the answer to that question. But, I do know God and His faithfulness.

This is not simply "optomistic thinking." My confidence in Him comes from knowing Him personally for many years, and seeing Him work in my life in ways that are unmistakenly supernatural and from a loving Father.

We live in a fallen and less than perfect world. At the beginning of time, mankind chose to lean upon his own understanding rather than to trust God. That has been the nature of man, ever since. Much of what we have to deal with in life is a result of that fallen condition. But, out of His love, God has made a way for us to turn to Him, put our trust in Him, and experience His presence and guidance, no matter what our circumstances.

We each have a choice and a free will. Choose this day for yourself whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15). Choose this day, whom you will trust. You can turn to God or not.

He is there waiting for you to come. He is there, with forgivenes, love, healing, peace, understanding, and comfort. He knows everything about you, and He is FOR you, NOT AGAINST you. He is pursuing you with His love and presence.