5 REASONS WHY CRISES ARE BENEFICIAL TO US
Today, the world
is facing so many crises and uncertainties.
The electronic news headlines are filled with sad stories and the front
pages of newspapers are equally not encouraging. On a daily, the media serves
us stories of diseases, economic problems, political insecurity, natural
disaster and even hunger. It feels like
the world is in a state of confusion and everyone is looking for protection.
For us as Christians, these crises serve as an opportunity to express our faith
while honouring God steadfastly.
In the Bible, there
are various accounts of miracles happening in periods of great disaster. We
wouldn’t celebrate the resurrection of Jesus if He wasn’t initially crucified,
the Red Sea parted when the Israelite faced huge injustice in Egypt, Daniel was
not hurt in the den of hungry lions and Jesus fed the multitude with five
loaves of bread and two fishes.
On different
occasions, God has demonstrated that He is with us no matter what the situation
may be. Although we live a victorious life in Christ, our faith is constantly
being put to test by the unpleasant situation we may encounter. Here are some
reasons why crises are beneficial to us:
1.
Crises
come to test our faith
As believers, we are constantly challenged to express our faith in
God and this includes putting our trust in Him in moments of crisis. These
crises come to test our faith and how deeply rooted in God we are. Crises come
to reveal if we truly believe in God and His principles or if we are going to
settle for the standard of the world when it matters most.
The story is told of how Daniel continued to express faith God even
when he knew the consequence of his action was getting thrown in a den of hungry
lions [see Daniel 6]. Ultimately, in this midst of this crisis and test of
faith, God kept Daniel safe and he was greatly rewarded afterwards. While trusting
God in tough times has wonderful benefits, these storms reveal if our faith in God will sink or sail.
2.
Crises
reveal the nature of people around us
For most us, we learn the true nature of those around us during the
most difficult period of our lives. Hard times simply help us separate those who are gold from those who are gold plated. In moments like these we learn the true attitude of
those around us. We know from their actions or inactions if they are have substance
and good character.
As Christians, it is very important for us to always surround
ourselves with those who are steady in faith. The Bible talks about how Aaron
and Hur stood by Moses in the time of crisis. They strengthened him when he was
tired from holding the rod of God and this action led to Joshua defeating the
people of Amalek [see Exodus 17].This shows that Moses had the right people
around him in the moment of difficulty.
3.
Crises
bring us closer to God
In times of crisis, there is a temptation to want to seek self help. This could be due to fear, panic or the overwhelming
nature of the situation. Fear is a negative emotion that only aggravates a bad situation and leads to poor decision making. As believers, these challenges should bring us closer
to God. The Bible warns against being anxious but in every situation we should
be prayerful with thanksgiving while we present our requests to God [see
Philippians 4:6].
Difficult situations shouldn’t distract us from the presence of the Lord instead it should be a reason for us to abide in His company. This was the
case when the church faced persecution from King Herod who also locked Peter in
prison. Their mind remained focused on God despite the life threatening circumstance.
It was recorded that constant prayer was offered to God by the church and Peter
was saved miraculously [see Act 12].
Trusting God in times of crisis makes us victorious.
4.
Crises
come so God can express His power through us
During a crisis, the normal thing to do is to find way out of the
problem. As children of God, we should
always see beyond the initial chaos and become the solution to an unpleasant
situation. God wants to express His supernatural power through us and we must
prepare to play our role in God’s divine plan.
There is a tendency to feel unqualified or inadequate for God to use but God is simply looking for obedient children not perfect individuals. The defeat
of Goliath by David is a perfect case in point of how we can be used by God to
do great things if only we believe in Him and act in obedience. David
eventually saved his people from the hands of oppressors [see 1 Samuel 17] and
went on to be king of Israel.
Wonderful things happen when we allow God work through us.
5.
Crises
remind us that there is nothing impossible for God
There are times in our lives when we feel totally powerless and
don’t know where else to turn to. When we have given it our best but the
results are not favourable. It may seem as though there are no solutions to the
troubles we are facing as we feel the pain of being stuck in a messy situation.
This problem may be medical, financial, professional or even emotional. It is in these kinds of moments that God’s
mighty power shines forth.
The story of the woman with the issue of blood [see Matthew 9:20],
the healing of a man blind from birth [see John 9] and the raising of Lazarus
from death four days after he was buried [ see John 11], are all examples of God’s
display of His marvellous power in critical circumstances.
So when we feel helpless, abandoned and hopeless, for those times when every human remedy fails, God is only reminding us that He can save us if we put our trust in Him.
As we go through life, we should be of good courage and cheer,
knowing we have already overcome the world and that no matter the crisis that
may develop; God will by no means leave us nor forsake us.