“For you are a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in distress; shelter from the rain, shade from the heat. As with the cold rain, as with the desert heat, even so you quell the uproar of the wanton.” (Isaiah 25: 4-5)
God is the same today, yesterday and forever. He is always the God of hope, mercy and deliverance. What Isaiah recorded many centuries ago remain true today. God is very close to us in all our trials, troubles and temptations. “God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress.” (Psalm 46:1)
Why does the love o f God allow us to pass through so much distress and affliction?
“My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity. Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great. Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient; for in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.” (Sirach 2: 1 -5) God’s adorable and loving providence trains us and saves us through suffering. Without Good Friday, there would be no joy of Easter. Without tests, no material for testimony.
God allows his beloved to go through suffering, distress and crisis because these have redemptive value for his us. Our salvation is secured through suffering. We become strong and courageous like real sons. Christ Jesus gave us the example.
We know that God’s love is embracing us moment by moment even in the midst of distress and affliction. Because God is with us every moment, loving and protecting us, nothing can go wrong, appearances notwithstanding. This is a basic and formidable truth. But how can we prove it? God’s word says so. Romans 8:28.
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