The Weekly Word: Regardless of challenges, God will see you through

By Matt Howlett, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Charles City

In our world we have faced many challenges for more than a year now.

We struggled with balancing the need to keep ourselves and loved ones safe with the need to be around other people and be able to leave the house. We have attempted to make sense of riots, political unrest and all manner of violence and terror in our world.

Over the last weeks we try to understand the continuing escalation of violence and shootings around our country.

Even now as we see some improvement in the spread of the virus and vaccines are available to those who choose to take them, we have difficult decisions to make on the proper ways we should be pressing forward.

As we struggle to make sense of these and so many other challenges we face in the world, it is easy to allow ourselves to become overwhelmed and simply want to give up.

In spite of all the challenges I am drawn to the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:3-4 — “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with Joy.”

Paul’s letter to the Church of Philippi is sometimes called his book of joy.

Paul expresses his gratitude and thankfulness for the strong relationship that he shared with the believers there. He offers his prayers and praises to God because he knows the strong bond, they share has been granted to him by God. He gives credit to God alone exactly where it is due.

The joy and thankfulness Paul expresses all throughout the book can be a source of great encouragement for all of us.

His words become an even greater source of encouragement when we realize that Paul is expressing this joy and gratitude from prison!

Paul faced persecution, beatings, being run out of town, abandoned, questioned and imprisoned throughout his ministry journeys. Yet he counted everything as a blessing because all was being done for God’s glory alone.

Paul was able to accept all blessings from God gratefully. He was able to accept hardships and the struggles of life because he understood the bigger plans that God had in store and knew that these difficulties would ultimately bring glory to God as well.

Whatever challenges you are facing today — and there are many out there — know that God will see you through.

Know that God loves you so much he gave up his son for you. Know that the temporary struggles that you face will be overcome and God’s glory and goodness will shine through!