TROUBLE

Bad doctrine is like poisoned food. It may taste good. It may leave the stomach feeling full. But in the end it will cause indescribable agony. Have you ever turned on your radio or television and heard a preacher promise you that if you will just put your trust in Jesus your troubles will leave you? Perhaps, you’ve been reprimanded as lacking faith because you continue to struggle with issues. Has anyone suggested to you that all you need to do is claim in Jesus’ name the solution you want and trouble will not visit you? Okay, so why did Jesus say, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)? Who was James writing when he penned, "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray" (James 5:13a)?
Meditation
2 Corinthians 1:3,4—Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Brothers and sisters, if we think that life in Christ means trouble-free living, we’re going to be quite disheartened with our loving Father. God never promises us that life in Jesus will be affliction-free. Quite the opposite—Scripture warns us that if we follow after Christ we can expect trouble. Our hope is not that today will be free of problems! Our hope is that He Who made today is greater than anything that can be thrown against us!
Are you in the swamp of sickness—God still loves you. You may die. But you will live forever with Jesus in a perfect body if He is your Lord. Do you routinely suffer at the hands of corrupt people? You are not alone—conniving religious leaders crucified their Savior! Are you weary of being weary, tired of trauma and exhausted with ordeals that seem pointed like God has it out for you? Rest assured He’s your Father and like any loving dad, He will quickly comfort you if you’ll let Him. Why do I say this? Because no trouble I’ve ever experienced no matter how tragic has ever come even remotely close to negating the ever-powerful love of God. Because Paul, who went through far worse than I’ve experienced, could write with fervor,
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body (2 Co. 4:7-11).
Inspiration
God does not keep a man immune from trouble; He says—"I will be with him in trouble." . . . Never let cares or tribulations separate you from the fact that God loves you.—Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest