How On Earth Do You Stand Steadfast When Your World is Crashing In?

Discover strength to make it through your storm stronger than you started!

Within the last week I’ve had a number friends and family share with me that they are hanging on by a thread and going through some very difficult trials. Some lost loved ones, another has a family member with a terminal cancer diagnosis, and also another is struggling mentally with panic attacks and anxiety.

It just so happens that last night at mid week service, my pastor shared a very encouraging message on standing steadfast during trials. So I thought I would try to summarize and share as encouragement…

For starters, he pointed out that there are some things that will never be developed in us without going through the struggles of life. After the storm, you will know and be able to say … ‘if it hadn’t been for the Lord’.  Your confidence and trust in the Lord will increase and you’ll know it wasn’t your own doing that brought you through.

No doubt about it, when there’s a knock on the door at the midnight hour you need more than your own strength or theory of who God is. You need God – with no trepidation and fear. You need to KNOW God. And you need to know God did not bring you this far to leave you now. God is your very present help in time of trouble.

Bear in mind also, if your heart is still beating you are a target for the devil. But what the devil meant for bad, God can turn to good! God’s grace is sufficient for you during your trials. 

Like my pastor often says, ‘Life is life for everyone’.

In 1 Peter 4:12 it tells you not to think it strange concerning the fiery trial as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice. James 1:2 says to count it all joy (throw a party my pastor likes to say) when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Some key references to help you through the storm:

Temptation is common, but God is faithful and will provide a way of escape.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Many are the afflictions of the righteous but God delivers them out of them all. (Psalm 34:19)
The waters will not overflow us and the fire will not burn us because the Lord is our God and He is with us. (Isaiah 43:2-3)
When I am weak, then I am strong through Him. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Cast All your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Are you with me? You must remember that you are not staying in the trial, but going through. To overcome your trials the word of God must abide in you.  We are told in 1 Peter 5:9 to resist the devil steadfast in our faith (get more scripture happy). Standing steadfast is speaking only what the word of God says.

It’s no secret that, many of our struggles are attacks from the enemy. But we have help to overcome. The sword of the spirit is the spoken word of God and an offensive weapon. We have the ability to speak and chose our words, so chose them wisely. Imitate Jesus when He was tempted and say ‘it is written’, ‘it is written’, ‘it is written’ and speak what is written in the word of God over your situation.

Don’t abandon ship during the storm, because we are told in 1 Peter 5:10 that after we have suffered a while, the God of all grace, who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, will make us perfect, established, strengthened, and settled. God’s grace is sufficient to bring us through the storm better developed than ever before.

May God strengthen and develop you as you overcome trials through your faith in Him!

God bless you,
Brenda