I hate to break this to you, but…  The rest of the sentence is personal and hard to hear.  When we hear it, we feel our entire body bracing for the gut punch as we ready ourselves to hear bad news.  Our flight or fight response is rising to the surface.  Our minds race with possible solutions for whatever problems lie ahead before the words are completely said. 

Then we hear the rest of the sentence; and we are in shock with disbelief.  Depending on the news, we sit still for a few seconds to take it all in.  Non-believers in Jesus experience hard times in life.  Believers in Jesus also experience hard times in life.  This is due to living in an imperfect world corrupted by the sins of mankind since Adam.  The difference maker for believers is the power and wisdom given readily in abundance to us from the Way Maker.  We are reading and seeing God’s power and wisdom demonstrated through the Acts of God and His Holy Spirit through His Apostles and followers who live Jesus.  May we see the acts of God at work in us!  Even today!

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and now Paul, to name just a few of the headliners will write about it as they live it.  They will be beaten unmercifully, (as Jesus foretold), for preaching life-change in Jesus.  They will be jailed many times but the power and wisdom within them does not allow for the work in Jesus Name to stop—because Jesus never fails, never gives up, never stops loving us and helping us!

Choose this day whom you will serve.  Hard times will come either way.  But wouldn’t we rather have the Compassionate Creator of all, the passionate Savior and Lord along with the power of His Holy Spirit in us taking us by the hand and walking us through it all?  Can I get Yes and an amen?!

Acts 14, The Message

Plenty of Hard Times

^21-22 After proclaiming the Message in Derbe and establishing a strong core of disciples, they retraced their steps to Lystra, then Iconium, and then Antioch, putting grit in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn’t be easy: “Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times.”

^23-26 Paul and Barnabas handpicked leaders in each church. After praying—their prayers intensified by fasting—they presented these new leaders to the Master to whom they had entrusted their lives. Working their way back through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia and preached in Perga. Finally, they made it to Attalia and caught a ship back to Antioch, where it had all started—launched by God’s grace and now safely home by God’s grace. A good piece of work.

^27-28 On arrival, they got the church together and reported on their trip, telling in detail how God had used them to throw the door of faith wide open so people of all nations could come streaming in. Then they settled down for a long, leisurely visit with the disciples.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

When hard times come, seek God first before reacting.  This will take the power of God in us to accomplish.  Ask God for wisdom. Ask God for help. Ask God for the good He will do from the bad you are experiencing.  This will lighten the impact of the hard times when you know God knows and has a plan with way around it, over it, or right through it!  I cannot count the many times God has stepped in to help me and our family—even while we are praying in Jesus Name!  Sometimes God met our needs before we even knew we had them!  Sometimes we must wait on the answer, but as we wait our faith becomes stronger and our resolve greater still when we trust God to do what only God can do.  Nothing is impossible with God.  Take this to heart!

Stay attached!  “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” –Jesus, John 15:4-5 NIV 

When hard times come, staying attached to the power of God’s Holy Spirit, praying in the Name of Jesus who saved us from all our sins, is the foundation of our faith that cannot be moved.  “Our Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness!”  (Not just hymn of words but of Truth!)

By staying attached through the hard times, God’s character begins to become a part of our lives!  We begin to reflect Jesus, His Son who had the same traits.  We soon realize that we who believe, also begin taking on the traits of our Father in heaven!  We have His eyes to see life with new perspectives, His heart that feels the pain of others, and His mind to think higher and nobler.  Yes, just like Jesus!   Paul gives us a list of those traits of behavior that we can look forward to acquiring—

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26, NIV

And when do these traits come to fruition, realized by us, and seen by others?      –They come as we respond to hard times in Jesus Name!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  James 1:2-5, NIV 

“In the good times, praise His Name; in the bad times, do the same! In everything, give God thanks.” (A song I sing in my heart often.)

Lord,

Thank you, indeed, for teaching me great lessons in and through the hard and challenging times of this brief journey on earth.  Without them, I would not now how precious life is and how grateful I still need to become.  You are Provider, Healer, Protector, Sustainer, Creator as well as Savior and Lord.  You loved us before we knew to love you back.  While we were sinners, you died for us.  As believers, you are our Hope of eternal life!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for not giving up on me and keeping me fully attached to you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains, yes, one thing remains

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me …