YOU’RE NOT ALONE

“. . . but the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth,

and the desire for other things come in and choke the word,

and it becomes unfruitful.”  (Mark 4:19)

Everyone is angry.  Those who don’t approve of the new transgender law imposed by North Carolina; the LBGT community who thinks many Christians are hypocritical in their determination to stay in line with the scriptures; the highly educated, riled by their fruitless efforts to find a decent job; and marginalized wage-earners who picket for a better pay raise.  All of us live with a degree of fear because of constant terrorist threats.  If that’s not enough to keep you awake at night, consider how consumed parents are over their daily warfare against outside influences on their children.

It doesn’t give us any comfort when, on top of all of our concerns, we must also deal with the political change in our country, a dysfunctional judicial system, and COVID-19.

I could probably impress upon you how different things were when I was a girl, but in all honesty, every generation has had its burden to bear.  I think of the 1940s and 50s when pop, R&B, and jazz artists like Billie Holliday, along with young wayward teenagers, struggled with drug abuse.  All Jackie Robinson wanted to do was play baseball, but he had to muddle through years of racial discrimination.  It’s the twenty-first century and women are still fighting for equality.  Amazing how the poor is still hungry and living in poverty and the rich is much richer and living lavishly—a fact that’s held true no matter which generation you examine.

Pinpoint a day in time and see if there weren’t problems induced by evil forces, cultural changes, different ideologies, wavering opinions, or religious traditions that didn’t create stumbling blocks.

Comparing generations is simply a waste of time, doing nothing more than further alienating us from the young.  Evil has always challenged and weakened leadership, and will continue to do so until the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We shouldn’t look at life in generational increments.  If we think our country didn’t have evil and complicated issues to overcome generations before, then we have arrived at erroneous conclusions about the realities of the world in which we live.  Sin is just as prevalent today as it was centuries ago and it’s constantly spinning and devouring everyone in its path.

It’s more about what you and I do about our relationship with God and man than how we perceive the changing times.

I hate to admit this, but murmurs for a new political party or a new presidential candidate sounds a lot like the Israelites’ plea for a king.  God wasn’t enough for them.  Thousands of years later we still tend to think that if we get a new president in office, we’ll somehow find our footing and get this country back on track.

Do we need to be reminded who is really in control?

Consider this:  God promised Abram that he’d be the father of nations and his sons and daughters would be as numerous as the stars.  Through faith Abram believed though he experienced several failures because of his human reasoning (lying about Sarai being his sister; laying with his handmaiden instead of waiting on the promise to be fulfilled).

Unlike Abraham, you and I have the scriptures for daily guidance and spiritual strength.  Within it are examples of many who have endured and suffered great trials (for I’ve never wandered through a desert for 40 years, fought my enemy with a sword, or been stoned and left for dead).

The brotherhood needs to renew their focus and concentrate more on their individual relationship with God.  Our aim should be to fall in love with the Holy One . . . to place no one above him.  That involves a daily dying to self, spending quality time with God, questioning him, voicing our requests, nurturing our families with his holy word, placing the burdens of the church at his feet, and praying for the brotherhood of believers—especially those undergoing persecution.

The Holy One has not left us defenseless as the wicked one would have you believe.  God cares about us and provides a way out long before we discover we’re in a sticky situation.  The last thing God wants you to do is feel so much weight of the world on your shoulders that it distracts you from what is really important—your relationship with him.

God is so sensitive to our needs that all he asks is that you have the faith of a mustard seed.  A mustard seed is not much bigger than the eye of a needle, so why would God request such little faith?  Because the Holy Father in all his glory will do the rest.

This past year has been a treacherous mountain for me to climb.  My family is dealing with a bone disease and other health problems, in-law issues, personal failures, distrust, and anger.  In all the imperfect ways I’ve reacted to my situation, God kept bringing me back into his presence.  I had no one to confide in, no one to ease my burdens with laughter.  It is clear the Holy One is gently telling me his grace is sufficient.

Like me, you may be on a journey that seems unfair and too heavy.  Let me be the first to encourage you that you’re not climbing steep mountains alone.  See, that’s what the evil one wants you to believe—you’re alone and no one cares about you.  Too often we forget we are surrounded by a heavenly host, in a spiritual brotherhood, clothed with godly love.  Think of it this way—

You and I are in a canoe, riding the rough waves of life.  Violent waters almost overturn the canoe and threaten to throw each of us into an angry sea.  But off in the distance is a constant light, guiding us, encouraging us to press forward.  Some brothers and sisters are thrown overboard by turbulent waves and we struggle to rescue them.  With all our might, we tug and pull, frantic to get them back inside the boat.  The reasons our sisters and brothers fell from the boat are numerous, many of the reasons like my own—weakness, fatigue, loneliness, a ghastly past, a hopeless future, a sense of worthlessness.  But the light shining in the distance gives us strength then we pass our strength onto another, then another, until an unbreakable chain forms and we’re able to pull one another from the vicious grips of destruction.

You and I are never alone.  Each one of us is significant.  We’re in the canoe together fighting the same fight; battling the same sins; harboring the same anger; constantly being distracted by the evil one.  But the light binds and strengthens our faith.

Listen to these scriptures and believe:

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.” (Genesis 15:1)

⁹You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. ¹⁰Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ ¹¹Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. (Isaiah 41:9-11)

. . . If God is for us, who can be against us! (Romans 8:31)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians 12:8-10)

⁴My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. ⁶Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began. (I Corinthians 2:4-7)

Believe and build your future on these words of truth.  Do not allow the weight of the world to distract or interfere with your love for the Lord and brotherhood of believers.  Replace your fears with faith and don’t grow weary with doing good.  The world will always be evil, to one degree or another, but you have been given a way out, an escape from death and destruction.  Empower and gird yourselves with the whole armor of God and live by it.  For by doing so, you may influence those around you and win many to Christ.  (Galations 6:9; II Thessalonians 3:13; I Corinthians 10:12-13; and Ephesians 6:11-13)

Donna B. Comeaux is a Christian writer, poet, and author who resides in Oklahoma.  She is married, has two children and ten grandchildren. She is presently working on her second novel Breathe for Me, a romantic suspense. Look for a new lesson to be posted soon, entitled Living the Word Through the Living Word.