(Pastor Chen)
I do not claim to have all the answers in life, nor do I understand everything about God. I have many ups and downs like everyone else. Like everyone else, I have hurts and pains of life that I do not understand. Over the Years, I have seen many during their down times turned away from God simply because they do not understand why. I Peter 5:7 says "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." I have found that it is also necessary to cast all our hurts and disappointment on Him, for He is trustworthy. There is an element of mystery in God that we will never know in this life (Deut 29:29). Our walk with God can only be as strong as our trust in Him in the mystery. Long time ago I have made up my mind to never doubt God's love and goodness. This commitment of trust has carried me through many hard times. I still do not understand some of the why's, but I wholeheartedly trust God and will always do!
It is so easy to talk about faith and victory in God when everything is fine. We sing and shout about faith. We dance over the victory, but when the storms of life level us to the ground, will there be any songs or shouts? Will there be any dances? There is a saying, "Pressure brings out the best of us." We are no better than when we are at our weakest. Many people like to criticize Job for lack of faith, and how he opened the door for the enemy to come in. But, I would like to point out one thing that most people overlooked about Job. Even with his misunderstandings of God, and in the face of the most adverse circumstance, he cried out, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." Job may have some misunderstandings about God and his plight, but he has a revelation of God's trustworthiness. And this is the revelation that we must have if we are to rise above the miry clay of life.
Paul and Silas may not understand why they were in the inner prison, but at midnight they were praying and singing hymns to God. They might as well cry out like Job, "Though He jailed me, yet will I praise Him." We do not always understand what's and why's of life, but there is one thing we must know - He is trustworthy! It is Job's trust and Paul's and Silas' praise that brought them the great deliverance. You may feel like you are fastened in the stocks and shut up in a dungeon. I want to encourage you to keep your focus on His trustworthiness. Put your trust in Him and begin to praise Him, and you too, will see a great deliverance!