Even If…

Will you still love, trust, and praise God even if the worst happens?

Photo by Cullan Smith on Unsplash

Captors took three young men from their home to a foreign land. When they refused to bow down to a golden idol in worship, the king had them thrown into a fiery furnace.

And yet, they had faith that God could rescue them. And they declared that even if He didn’t, they would never turn away from Him.

“‘If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’” Daniel 3:17-18 NASB1995

Fiery Trials

A single mother struggles to buy enough groceries to feed her children because their father took off five years ago and has nothing to do with them.

A new grandfather is handed divorce papers after thirty years of marriage with no explanation.

A college student faces a terminal cancer diagnosis while the world around her continues to move on.

A small business owner opens his mailbox to find a foreclosure notice while his aging father pushes his walker into the home they’re about to be forced out of.

A wife sniffles as she hears the sounds of children playing next door after she threw away another negative pregnancy test.

A teenager finds out a drunk driver killed his parents, and he has nowhere to go now.

A mother sits alone in the light of a small lamp with tears in her eyes as she stares at the photo of her child when she was young, because that now grown child has nothing to do with her.

Maybe you can relate to some of these. Maybe you’ve been through your own trials and heartbreaks.

Life is tough.

Things get hard and hearts get broken.

People hurt you.

The unexpected sucks the joy out of you.

The waiting drowns you in sorrow.

But when the worst happens, where do you turn? Who do you trust?

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” Psalms 91:14-15 NASB1995

Would you love Him even if…?

Most of us would say yes when asked. But then a test comes and we struggle. Inwardly, we doubt and question, and we wrestle with our faith.

The enemy attacks. Someone hurts us. We’re afraid if we don’t join in with those around us, the worst will happen.

Then everything seems to fall apart.

There is no doubt that our faith will be tested.

But even if…

…you never find the spouse you long for…

…you never get blessed with a child…

…your career never takes off like you hope…

…the world hates you and friends betray you…

…your health deteriorates and you even face death…

…you lose everything valuable in the eyes of the world…

…those closest to you hurt you deeply…

…your very life is threatened because of your faith…

Will you still love God?

Will you still trust Him?

Will you still praise Him?

Is He worth everything to you?

“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights…” Habakkuk 3:17-19 NLT

God With Us

Even though we walk through fiery trials, God is still there. He will always be there. He will never leave you, especially not in your darkest moments.

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NASB1995

Jesus promised we would face hard times. But we can have hope because He has overcome this world.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT

He is the Creator of the universe. He is the Giver of life. Everything we have is on loan to us from Him. Even our families belong to Him and not to ourselves.

That’s a hard one for me sometimes. God entrusts us to love and serve our family, but they still belong to Him. Letting go of control and worry and giving them over to Him is the most difficult, but best thing we could ever do.

No matter what we go through, God is still on the throne.

He is still good.

And He is with us no matter what we face, even in the midst of the flames.

The king had those three young men thrown into the fiery furnace. But then he saw four men walking around in it. It was God who was with them and delivered them. They came out alive, and the fire had not hurt them at all.

“…the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.” Daniel 3:27 NASB1995

“The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Psalms 118:6 NLT

The Reward Awaits

Sometimes we face heartache because of the decisions of others. Sometimes our faith is being tested. Sometimes we have “thorns in our flesh” to draw us closer to God.

If life were all happiness and comfort all the time, would you honestly seek Him out? Would you desire to truly know Him?

So we can be thankful for our trials. When we are weak, He is strong for us and pulls us closer to Him.

“Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 NASB1995

The reward at the end awaits us all.

He is our reward. And great is He!

“Lord, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.” Psalms 16:5 NLT

“My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalms 73:26 NASB1995

“Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!’ The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” Lamentations 3:21-26 NLT

Stay Faithful

Those who stay faithful to God will see His lovingkindness abound.

That test will become a testimony of the goodness of God.

That trial will turn into a triumph.

That heartbreak will turn into hallelujahs.

That feeling of defeat will turn into a feast of celebration.

That weight you carry right now will become a window to seeing God work miraculously in your life.

He cares about you. His lovingkindness endures forever.

He only wants the best for you, and His plan is great for you.

Will you still love Him even if you face the unthinkable?

Will you trust Him to deliver you, knowing He will always be with you?

Will you give Him all of who you are without hesitation?

Will you praise Him even through heartache?

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20b NLT

My prayer for you today is that you will come to know with all your heart that God is all you need. Stay faithful to Him. Let Him be your reward. Let Him deliver you from your hardships in His timing.

Find refuge in Him.

Trust Him.

He will never let you go.

“Then I pray to You, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.’” Psalms 142:5 NLT

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