You are my refuge in the day of disaster

12-10-2023Weekly ReflectionRev. Emmanuel I. Ihemedu

The road we travel as Christians is not always easy. Sometimes it is smooth; other times, it is bumpy, with potholes and detours. Some days, we are on top of the mountain; other days, we find ourselves in the valleys of life. Sometimes we have sunshine and beautiful sky days; other times, we have darkness and heavy storms of life. While it is true that our faith in God is supposed to bring us inner peace, joy, and fulfillment here on earth and ultimately win us favor in the sight of God hereafter, the truth is that unkind things can happen to good people.

Clouds can cover the sun of the just person and force them to walk in the darkness where there is no light. Many Christians have given up on God because their bright sunshine and light are eclipsed. Instead of being on top of the mountain, where life is at its best and they have peace of mind, they find themselves in the valley with trials and temptations and question their identity as a child of God. They say to themselves, “If I were a child of God, this would not have happened to me.”

If this is where you are, in the valley with trials and temptation, with your light eclipsed and questioning your identity as a true child of God, know that even the people after the heart of God must carry their own crosses. You won’t find a Christian who has lived a life bereft of trials. As Charles H. Spurgeon rightly said, “We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.”

As you struggle to make sense of why you should suffer even as a beloved child of God, may God give you the grace to know that He is your refuge in times of danger, and from all your troubles, may He deliver you, amen!