What if Bad Gets Worse?

For a lot of people these past few years have been very difficult. The unemployment, underemployment, and foreclosure stats all testify that there is a lot of pain in our society. Compared to the third world, most of us still have it pretty easy, but compared to what was, these are hard times for many. These difficulties have blindsided some Christians. They were led to believe that accepting Christ was like a free ticket to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. They were told that all their troubles were over when they decided to follow Jesus. Too bad they didn’t read the Bible. Jesus didn’t make any guarantee of an easy life. Instead, He told His followers to take up the cross, and follow Him. There are many examples in the Bible of people dealing with hard times. From Joseph, to Moses, to Ruth, to David, to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to Jesus himself, the Bible shows people who struggled and overcame. I think the ministry of the Apostle Paul demonstrates vividly what to do when bad gets worse.

1.) First of all keep praying. Don’t let your broken heart break your relationship with God. Reassurance and encouragement come in prayer when we listen to God and understand the role we play in prayer. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18) He is God (the boss), and you aren’t.

2.) Keep up your strength. Be sure to guard your body in emotional times. Many upset people fall into a devil’s triangle of reacting mentally to stress by falling into depression, and then reacting physically to depression by becoming ill, which then increases stress, and the triangle starts over again. An example of Paul keeping up his strength is found in Acts 27:33-36.

3.) Keep on trusting the Lord. Work hard to keep your focus on God, and remind yourself of His Lordship. Then, keep remembering your role in your relationship with Him. You are a redeemed sinner who has chosen to serve the Lord who has rescued you from sin, from your own wickedness and from Satan. If you get the roles right in your mind and heart, God will give you hope in the midst of hard times. (Check out Romans 15:13.)

4.) Let God work, which means you will have to be patient. The Lord, being the boss, works on His timetable, not yours. Sometimes, it feels like He has forgotten you, but He doesn’t forget. Be assured that He is on your case. Think how long it took for things to work out for Joseph in Genesis. In the end, Joseph was able to say:
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

You need to get out of His way, and expect Him to work in your situation. Watch out, because He may not do what you thought He would do.

5.) Accept the outcome and make the best of it. Whatever happens, keep trusting God, as Paul said:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 - NIV).

God’s view is bigger than yours. His perspective gives Him a much longer and broader understanding than you can have. You have to believe that He has your best interest at heart even when your immediate circumstances would tempt you to doubt that. When bad gets worse, hang on and determine to go on from here with God. Hang on, not in desperation, but with hope. Know that God loves you, has a plan, and you have not been forgotten. Your future may not go according to your plan, but if you trust God and hang on, things will work together for good.