How much do you trust God? Jeremiah 29:11 records God’s Promise to us.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”
God knows The Plans, but He does not promise to tell us all of His Plans in advance.
He does not promise that everything will appear to be good for us all the time. In fact, Jesus said in this world we would have trouble. But He promised more than trouble. Read all of what He said.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
So what do we do when things seem especially bad and really scary?
Daniel 3 tells the story of three young men who refused to obey a king’s order to worship a graven image. The king threatened to throw them in a fiery furnace if they did not obey.
Their answer to the king says it all.
“If this be so, our God Whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
“But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17-28
Whatever is frightening you is not from God. It is a graven image. I have to remind myself of this Truth over and over again, as I feel the heat of the flames.
We realize God has All Power and Authority. We realize He can deliver us. But then we look around and see all the places where it appeared He did not deliver. We don’t understand.
And then comes the nagging thought. What if He does not deliver? The Truth is that He will deliver, but not always in the ways we expect.
The young men were indeed delivered from the king’s hands, just as they proclaimed. They knew God had a Plan for them, either on earth or in Heaven.
God also has a Master Plan of which we are only a part. How we handle being in our “fiery furnaces” affects others around us.
The young men were thrown into the fiery furnace. But as the king’s servants reported to him, there were four men in the fire, not three. The God they served was with them and in the fire became visible to others as a Profound Witness.
Whatever fire you are in, know this. You are not alone. There are four of you together. There is God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and you.
And you will be delivered. Trust God!
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
“When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
Isaiah 43:2
“There is no fear in love. But Perfect Love drives out fear!”
1 John 4:18
