by Lewis Willis
Synopsis: "Where do you go when it starts to rain? What do you do when your heart's in pain? Where will you hide when the lights are low? Where will you run when the right time comes?"
While driving not long ago, I heard a song written by Arnold Sundgaard and Alec Wilder and recorded by the legendary Frank Sinatra. Some of the lines in the song caused me to think of some spiritual applications that can be emphasized for our thoughts. As you read a few of the lyrics below, I suspect they will raise some of the same ideas with you as they did with me.
Where do you go when it starts to rain?
What do you do when your heart's in pain?
Where will you hide when the lights are low?
Where will you run when the right time comes?
Those are good questions. Life presents us with a wide variety of situations, circumstances, and sometimes, tragedies. What do we do when these things come? To whom do we go? To whom do we turn? Good questions!
Frequently, life tests us severely. Sometimes the test comes in the form of prolonged illness. The death, of a parent, spouse, or child, can be overwhelming. Marital problems turn the lives of many "up-side-down." Problems guiding our children through their crises can cause sleepless nights. Losing our jobs can be shattering. Problems in the church can challenge our faith. Yes, life can be difficult and challenging.
When these types of experiences invade people's lives, they ask, "Why is this happening to me?" When your back is against the wall, to whom do you turn? Where do you go?
James wrote of these hardships, and he spells out what the response should be for the child of God. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:2-8).
Peter said, "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6-7).
These Scriptures refer to the problems and temptations thrust upon us as we live from day to day. Often such events overthrow the faith of God's people, and they fall away. Others see these trials and tribulations as tests that strengthen them day by day. What produces these two opposite extremes in the lives of God people? Why do some fall, while others grow stronger?
The apostle Peter said we should turn to God for His assistance when difficult circumstances challenge us. "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (1 Pet. 5:6-7). Christians who stumble through the trials and tribulations of their lives have to decide to whom they will turn! Will we seek comfort from worldly-minded people who struggle aimlessly through those same experiences? Or, should God's children, acting in faith, turn to the Lord? Thankfully, He tells us we can cast our cares upon Him, and that He cares for us!
In the Sermon on the Mount, the first recorded, lengthy teaching of Jesus while He was on the earth, the Lord addressed this same subject. Although the necessities of life would concern His disciples, Jesus said, "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 than raiment?" (Matt. 6:25).
He then called a fundamental truth to the minds of His followers. "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matt. 6:26). If God takes care of birds, He will take care of His children.
Then the Lord asks, "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matt. 6:28-30).
With these thoughts in the minds of His hearers, Jesus then made the point I wish to stress for our consideration: He said, "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:31-33).
So, when trying times come upon us, when we struggle to make it through day after day, or when we doubt if we can survive spiritually, let us turn to God and His Word. He will care for you and lead you safely to that seemingly distant shore!
Author Bio: Lewis has worked at the church in Tallmadge, OH for several years. His children were born while married to Frankie (Flanagan); after her death he married Joyce (Feist). The church's website is tallmadgecoc.com. He can be reached at lwillis3@neo.rr.com.
