When the unexpected occurs and we’re confronted with a challenging situation, what’s our initial response? Do we stay composed and seek guidance from God? Or does panic and stress overwhelm us?
When faced with tough circumstances, our initial instinct is often to panic. But it doesn’t have to be that way. God’s desire is for us to trust Him first when difficulties arise, and we can learn better stress management techniques and respond accordingly.
When we shift our perspective from seeing a challenge as just another obstacle, we recognise its potential to take us to a new level with God. In her latest message, Don’t Panic, Joyce Meyer explores the concept of facing our difficulties with peace in our hearts.
Facing Challenges
We have to learn in life that there are tests. Some of them God allows, and some of them He even arranges. Sometimes He will put us in a position where we have no choice at all except to face an issue in our lives.
‘There are things that even Satan does that God doesn’t deliver you from right away,’ says Joyce. ‘Because He’s going to use it to bring you to a higher level. He only has good in mind, and what He wants you to do during that thing is trust Him.’
God does test us, but He will never tempt us to sin. The Bible tells us that in the world we will have tribulation, but to take heart because Jesus overcame the world. But when we’re facing tough times, what we believe is tested.
Trust God
‘You have no idea how strong you really are or how much faith you really have until it’s tested,’ says Joyce. ‘How many of us would like to have great faith? Well, the only way our faith is going to grow is if God puts us in a place where we have to use it.’
When faced with trouble, our immediate response should be to put our trust in God. Because if we try and face it on our own, we are liable to make things worse. Sometimes in the midst of a trial, we can easily be tempted to go back to something that we’ve been set free from.
‘Sometimes we’re even tempted to get angry at God,’ says Joyce. ‘Do you know that’s a temptation from Satan? Or sometimes you can begin to resent people that don’t have the problems you have, or you can begin to resent people that have the blessings that you want.’
Agreement with God
Often when we have problems, we become indignant. We don’t understand what’s happening, or why. But we usually don’t have that attitude when it’s happening to somebody else.
‘I have discovered that God won’t change His mind when He decides something’s going to be a certain way,’ says Joyce. ‘It’s much better to come into agreement with God quickly and stop going around and around the same mountains.’
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