Of course, the first part I considered was "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." Yes, there are many. Right now is one of those times for me. I've been out of work pretty much since March. It looks (in the natural) like God isn't keeping His word to us as tithers and givers.
But the devil is the one who has been hounding me, "See, God isn't taking care of you, is He?" However, I can say, "But He delivers us out of all our afflictions!"
How will He deliver us this time? I haven't a clue. But He will. He said so in His Word. Can I trust God in every situation? Certainly. God is more sure than gravity. Gravity works, even if you deny it's existence.
If you don't believe in gravity, it doesn't matter at all to God. Hold a big rock over your foot and let go of it. I promise that you will believe in gravity after that.
That's why I believe in God. His Word is even more sure than gravity. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the word of God endures forever. God said all my needs will be met. He said in Isaiah 43:2:
When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.Notice, however, God said "When thou passest through." Apparently, God meant "through," and not "around." Which means we are going to the other side, regardless of what the devil says or tries to do along the way.
God will see to it, if only I will trust Him. Most people would rather hear someone else's testimony of "going through the fire," rather than going through it themselves. But God allows those times of testing to refine us, to build our faith, not destroy it.
He Always Comes Through
The more trials I go through, the more I know I can trust God. But does that mean the trials are easier? No way!
Each time it looks like God isn't going to come through. But He always does. And each time the devil tries to convince me that this time the problem is too big, or that this time I'm on my own because this time God isn't going to help me.
No matter what it looks like, I still have God's word on it; "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." Did you get that, devil? God said ALL, and that means the total amount of my afflictions.
That means there will never be a time when God will fail to keep His word. So what am I worried about, then? I'm not. I'm keeping my peace and joy, while God is at work preparing the way for me as well as my next testimony of praise of God's provision and love.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:25:
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?Verse 33 says,
But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.God didn't say they would be taken away from you, but rather "added unto you." God is for increasing and blessing us. It's the devil that works to take things away from us.
But if I will seek God and obey Him, and love Him, I don't have to have a care in the world. I can safely rest in God and be at peace, knowing that whatever trials I may face in life, God is with me and for me. And if God be for me, who can be against me?
Who cares who is against me? The Greater One, the Holy Spirit, is in me! And He will not leave me or forsake me. NEVER! And if you belong to Jesus, you have that same assurance in you. If you don't belong to Jesus, don't wait another second. Make Jesus your Lord and Savior now!
He says in Revelation 3:20, "Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me." Behold, Jesus is knocking at your heart's door. Don't pretend you aren't home…invite Him in.
Both His love and provision are more sure than gravity.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Jerry Baysinger was a twenty-one-and-a-half-year civilian employee of Missouri State Highway Patrol and operator of his own successful furniture repair business, when in 1993, he was diagnosed with five melanomas and liver cancer. Given a month to live, he resigned from the Patrol and went home to die. 
