One Small Seed Newsletter – Edition #126, November 2008
The Arrival of Trouble in Our Lives
As clouds of fog creep into the valleys and lowlands in the cool humid nights of summer, so also does trouble creep into the recess of daily life. Without warning and often while we rest, trouble comes. Silently it lurks in the crevices of unconscientiousness while secretly usurping the nutrients meant for life and health. As the elements wear at a giant rock and moss clings and softens a great stone, so trouble wearies a soul until a mountain is moved from its place. No one is unique or exempt from its face, so must meet the challenge of its presence with boldness and wisdom. Peace in troubling times may feel distant, but it’s in these moments that we must seek refuge in God’s presence.
Peace in Troubling Times: A Biblical Perspective
Job 34:29 says,
“When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only.”
We each cry foul when trouble comes. We question the God of love, asking “why bad things happen to good people,” while overlooking His attributes of justice and equity. Jesus Himself warned, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Trouble is a part of the human experience, something that all people, regardless of their circumstances, must face.
We ingest the nutrients of life and eliminate what the body doesn’t need or use. Facing the same spirits—whether good or bad—is something we all encounter. Bound to the earth by an umbilical cord, we become a product of eternity. Emotions and anxieties are a shared human experience, and we all battle a wide array of challenges, both seen and unseen. As a byproduct of our ancestors, we swim in a genetic pool filled with diverse forces, sometimes uncertain whether they are our allies or adversaries.
Seeking Peace in Troubling Times: A Refuge in God’s Presence
In the environment of trouble, there is a hiding place. Psalm 27:4-5 offers hope: “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.” In the presence of God, we find peace, rest, and the assurance that He is always near. Even when we don’t see or feel Him, God is with us. For those who believe, He is a shield and a fortress, offering protection and mercy.
Finding Peace in Troubling Times: Trust in God’s Will
We can face each tomorrow with confidence, knowing that whatever comes our way is according to God’s will and purpose. In His will, there is peace; in His presence, there is hope. Psalms 28:7-8 reminds us, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” With God as our source of strength, we can overcome any tribulation, drawing on His resources for victory.
Rest in God’s Peace During Trouble
The peace of God transcends all understanding. During times of trouble, He offers a refuge for the weary soul. As we draw closer to God, we experience the strength and peace that only He can provide. Trusting in His presence and promises allows us to face life’s challenges with hope and confidence. May the peace of God’s love abound in your heart, even in troubling times.
Rodney Roberts
The Raging Sea
O Raging Sea, your restless waves
Have lapped the shore and shoved the bark
And captivated careless knaves
In silent swells, outside the ark.
By surging power and tidal force
The dust relents and clay resigns
Unto the will, the wildest course
That Mater Motion misaligns.
Thy breakers storm against the coast,
Thy turbid frown of fury groans
Against the Rock and all its host,
But worthless are your tireless moans.
When crystal clear, a mirror face
Reflects a lie, for winds of change
Soon agitate, distorting place,
And causes truth to rearrange.
This mighty main, when once maligned,
Over came the earth, obscured its face
Absorbing all in cast and kind,
Before receding to it's place.
The elemental stock with stood
This temporal pass. In potent glow,
Brought back to life, as motherhood,
And crowned creation with a bow.
Peace! Peace be still! How could it be?
This restless kind, unstable, churns
And roams it's sphere, a reckless sea,
Whose heart still cries, whose bosom burns.
O restless sea across thy crest
As in a ark we sail thy tide
Until at last we come to rest
Upon a Rock - a mountainside.
– Rodney Roberts