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In my position I probably hear more about problems that people are dealing with than most people do.
In just the last couple of weeks I have heard of people facing marital difficulties, suicide, child abuse, cancer, and many other very traumatic issues.
There is barely a day that goes by that I’m not made aware of these things.
Sometimes people share with me because
--they want me to pray for the situation,
--some want advice,
--and others just want someone else to know about their burden.
And if there is one thing I have learned, it is that a whole lot of people are dealing with a whole lot of problem situations, and for some, there is no end in sight.
Someone has said that there are three road signs in the Christian life.
It starts with a U-turn. You and I must repent and turn around in life.
Then as we live our lives in a new direction, we learn to Yield our hearts to Him at every turn.
Today, I want to talk about another sign in the Christian life. Curve up ahead.
You and I often have to deal with problem situations. In fact some of us might be facing them right now.
It might be a problem in your marriage, a death in the family, an illness that you or a loved one are suffering from, or any one of a thousand different things.
But when those things happen, what exactly are we supposed to do?
THREE STEPS I NEED TO TAKE
If you will take the three steps I’m going to lay out for you, you will still have to face the curve ahead, but you’ll be able to do so in a much more satisfactory way.
STEP #1 – PREPARATION
The best time to prepare for a problem is before it takes place.
In other words, I want to be as ready as possible for unpleasant things that might enter into my life – here’s how to do it:
1. Have a good understanding of WhoGod Is and WhatHe Does
This could be a semester of seminary if we were going to cover this whole topic.
But I just wanted to point out one fact – God is not responsible for everything that happens.
God has created us as free moral agents, allowing us to make our own decisions in most circumstances whether those decisions are good ones or bad ones.
And since we are free moral agents we have chosen to sin, which brought all kinds of problems into the world, including every negative thing that can happen.
Sometimes some horrible tragedy will take place and people will assume that God wanted that tragedy to take place – it’s really a horrible way of looking at God.
All of these things we’re talking about are a result of sin – and sin comes from giving into temptation that comes to us, not from God, but from Satan.
So instead of getting upset with God, we should be upset with the devil.
And when we know that God is not the author of all these things, it helps to prepare our hearts more fully to let Him in when tragedy does strike.
2. Spend time in God’s Word, in Prayer, and in Fellowship
If I want to know God in the time I’m going through the curves of life, doesn’t it make sense to get to know Him now?
The fact of the matter is, that for many of us, when we’re going through tough times we find it hard to begin a spiritual journey with God.
That journey needs to take place prior to the tragedy or problem, so that when the curves come, spending time with God will already be a part of our routine.
In other words, I don’t want to start digging into God’s Word, and praying, and spending time with other Christians after tragedy strikes, because it probably won’t happen – I want to do these things ahead of time so I’ll be prepared.
2 Timothy 3:16-1716 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
NIV 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
God reveals Himself to us through His Word – and so, if I want to know God I will spend time in His Word, the Bible, so that I can be prepared in every way.
I want to read His Word so that I know where to turn when the curves of life hit.
I want to know what God has to say about the subject prior to the event occurring so that when it happens I will be better able to deal with it, and will be more able to receive the comfort, wisdom, and strength that God is offering to me.
The same goes for prayer and spending time with other Christ followers.
I want to do this in the here and now so that I am as prepared as I can be for the future – it all has to do with knowing God in the most intimate way possible.
STEP #2 – APPLICATION
Let’s say that we’ve done everything we can to be prepared for the curves of life – what do we actually do when the problem strikes?
1. Know that no matter what happens, God’s love for you remains
For some reason, our natural reaction when tragedy strikes is to either blame God, or to become convinced that God doesn’t really care about us.
This reaction is generally based on a faulty conception of how God works in the world, which is why we need to be prepared in this way as I stated earlier.
Romans 8:38-3938 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now I want you to consider that verse for a moment – what curve of life has been thrown at you that couldn’t fit into one of these categories?
And yet we are assured that none of these things have anything to do with the fact of God’s love for us.
He loves us when things are going smoothly, or when tragedy strikes, or at any other point in our lives – problems do not in any way stand as proof that God does not love or care for us.
In fact, the very opposite is true – it is in these times that God’s love often shines through more brightly than at any other time of our lives.
2. Pray for wisdom, understanding, and healing
Since you’ve prepared yourself by being a person of prayer and spending time in God’s Word, you’re ready when the curves come to go directly to God in prayer.
Now is the time to petition Him to help you through the struggle, to give you the proper understanding of the situation you find yourself in, and to lead you toward a point where you will receive comfort and healing.
1 Peter 5:77 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
God isn’t bothered by the fact that we have worries and cares; instead He wants us to share those worries and cares with Him, so He can do something about it.
Many of you are familiar with the Serenity Prayer, but most of the time you only see the first few lines printed, listen to the rest of it.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next. Amen.
Isn’t that great?
Oftentimes publishers just give you the first few lines and don’t let you see how strongly Christian this prayer is.
And it’s exactly the kind of prayer I’m talking about needing to pray when we are experiencing the curves of life.
3. Respond openly to God, no matter how you feel
Recognize the fact that God isn’t surprised by how you’re feeling.
While I’m not agreeing with those who think it’s okay to be angry with God, I think it is understandable to be confused by what is going on, to be hurt by it, or to be at a loss as to why things are happening the way that they are.
The Psalmist gives us a good example of this:
Psalms 94:18-1918 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. 19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
Simply say to God,
“I don’t understand this” or
“I wish I could feel your presence right now, but I can’t” or
“I’m not able to pray, please give me that ability”
There could be as many responses as there are circumstances, but what is important is that you tell these things to God openly, knowing that He cares and that He understands the situation.
STEP #3 – REVITALIZATION
If you take the steps I’ve spoken of so far, you aren’t going to stay in your present state of mind forever – there will come a point of revitalization, whether you can see it right now or not, it will come.
The real problem comes if you don’t take the steps I’ve outlined – it is then that you have a good chance of falling into a depressive state, or something even worse.
Remember and apply these three things and you will experience renewal.
1. There is an end in sight, and when you see it, move toward it
Ps 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Notice that the Psalmist planned to walk “through” the valley – there was an end in sight, there was a brighter day to come, a future still to enjoy.
When people are dealing with grief and various other problems, it is easy to think that every day will be like the first day that you deal with the problem.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel – God will give you the ability to see the future in a better way, and when you see it, don’t hesitate to move toward it.
Don’t feel guilty because you are going on with life in spite of the problems that you’ve had to deal with.
Peter was speaking to Christians undergoing horrendous persecution and said:
1 Peter 1:66 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations
For those of you have endured grief, or gone through a long illness, you know how difficult it is to see there is an end in sight – but Peter said to live your life in the now with the perspective of the joy to come.
And that is what we have to do if we’re going to navigate the curve all the way to the point of revitalization.
2. Allow God to use your experience to strengthen yourself as well as others
Greg Zanis is a carpenter from Aurora, IL, whose father-in-law taught him the trade – In the process the two became best friends.
In 1996 Greg's father-in-law was the victim of a violent crime and died.
In an attempt to express his deep grief and personal sense of loss, Greg built an 8-foot wooden cross and planted it at the scene of the crime.
But that was only the beginning – Greg began building 8-foot wooden crosses and erecting them at the scenes of fatal crimes or accidents.
He built the crosses standing in honor of the victims at ColumbineHigh School.
What began as a personal response to the loss of human life has become a ministry to help people heal and to remind them that Jesus gives peace and grace.
His ministry is called "Crosses for Losses."
Zanis builds crosses for families of victims of violent crimes from across the country and then personally delivers the crosses in his pickup truck.
To date he has planted hundreds of eight-foot-high crosses.
Greg uses his experience, even an unpleasant one, to minister to others.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Sometimes there is no real purpose to be found in our circumstance, but there is always this one – God can use our circumstances to minister to others.
Who better to counsel with someone going through grief than someone who has gone through it themselves?
Who better to mentor an alcoholic than one who has overcome alcoholism?
God comforts us so that we will know how to comfort others.
3. Continually return to Step #1
In case you forgot, step #1 is preparation.
There is never going to be a time in your life when you don’t need to be continually striving to know God, to read His Word, to pray, and to fellowship with other Christ followers.
There is going to come a day when there are no more curves ahead, but for now, we have to continually prepare for them, until that great day when Jesus returns.
CONCLUSION:
I can look out into this audience and see each one of you and know that each and every one of you have some curves ahead in your lives.
My hope and prayer is that when they come, not if they come, you will deal with them in the way that will bring the most glory to God, and the most peace to your hearts.
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