Keeping Focused in Troubling Times
We live in troubling times. As I write this, some very concerning things are happening quite rapidly in the United States. It’s frightening to think of how those things could play out for our nation, its citizens, and Christians in particular.
It’s easy to feel all alone in the fight, to wonder how such feeble forces as ours can ever hope to fight against the wickedness which seems to have overrun our land.
And yet…
I am reminded of Elijah. He had stood upon Mount Carmel and seen the power of God displayed for all to see. He had heard the voice of his people crying, “The Lord, He is the God,” and had slain all the false prophets. He had prayed for rain and run faster than King Ahab’s chariot as that rain began to fall. (1 Kings 18)
And then there was a message from the queen.
You see, as wicked as King Ahab was, Jezebel was worse, and from the details Scripture records about the pair, it seems as if Jezebel was really the force behind the throne: and she was mad. She told Elijah that she would do to him as he had done to the false prophets — in the next 24 hours.
So Elijah ran.
In fact, the Bible says that he “went for his life.” (1Kings 19:3) He left his servant at Beer-sheba and journeyed into the wilderness for a day. Sitting down under a juniper tree, he asked God to take his life.
We tend to shake our heads at Elijah and his pity party, but haven’t we all felt the same?
God had shown Himself powerful and triumphed over the idolaters, and yet the wicked rulers were still wicked, and still ruling. Not only that, but now they were threatening to kill Elijah, who, after all, had been doing exactly what God had said to do.
He had worked so hard for the cause of right, and it now seemed to him that all his efforts had been in vain.
After giving Elijah some rest and some food, (how well God knows us!) God spoke with Elijah, who then made the following speech:
“I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thy altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:10)
God again speaks to Elijah and gives him instructions for what to do next. At the end of those instructions, God mentions,
“Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (19:18)
Sometimes we can feel like we’re the only ones left, or that no one has had to deal with a situation like ours, but that simply isn’t true. In fact, even if we disregard the many faithful Christians currently fighting for righteousness, freedom, and truth, we need look no further than the pages of Scripture to be reminded of many faithful men and women who have lived under the shadow of rulers even more wicked than our own. Here are just the few that sprung immediately to mind as I thought about this:
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many (if not all) of the other prophets served God during the reign of kings who were extremely wicked.
Daniel served a king who banned prayer and set up idol worship on pain of death, as well as a later king who used the vessels from God’s temple for his drunken party.
The disciples lived out their entire lives under the national rule of wicked Roman emperors as well as the local rule of the depraved Herods.
Now look at that list again, and think about how God used each one. True, their lives weren’t easy: they were persecuted for standing up for truth and righteousness, but God was with them nevertheless, and used that same adversity and persecution to display their faith and encourage others in similar situations.
God may allow us some suffering and persecution, but never without a reason.
1 Peter 5:10 says, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
God may allow us to suffer for the sake of Christ in order to develop Christlike character in us and to strengthen our faith. Whatever He allows in our lives, it is always for our good. (Romans 8:28)
The key to keeping your focus during these troubling times is to remember that no matter what may happen to this nation or to you, God still rules, God still reigns, and God still cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)