So, like I said in one of my earlier posts, every January my church does a series called Awake, where we abstain from something in our lives that is taking up too much time, and use that time for reading the Bible and prayer. And I took it very seriously. I have done it before, but this year I've really been feeling that I am not close enough to God. So I was very diligent with it, and I spent a lot more time in prayer than I had been ever before. And that's when the trouble started.
Everything started going wrong. My grades in school went down, I got in a car wreck, and my relationships with my parents, brothers, and friends suffered. And of course, as usually happens when you're already having a bad week, all the little things seem like big things, and they grow bigger, and bigger, and bigger. So many little things started piling up.... Nothing was going right, and I didn't understand. Why is it that when I finally start doing something right, and spending more time with my Creator, that's when all the trouble begins?
So I prayed. I asked God to help me understand why all these things were happening. And honestly, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I have never felt anything that felt like a clear answer to prayer in my life before. But it was at this time that God chose to show me exactly what I needed to see.
The night after I prayed that prayer, I was reading my daily devotional. And the verse being discussed was Hebrews 10:32, which reads "Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering." Basically, what this is saying is "Remember those times that God revealed his will to you, and you endured a great conflict full of suffering." It went on to talk about how if you run into opposition, you are probably doing things right! Obviously, Satan hates it when you are doing God's will and seeking Him. As the author put it, "You must be on the right track, because the devil is terribly concerned about what will happen if you act on what God has revealed to you!"
That is exactly what I needed to hear that day. I didn't understand why nothing was going right. I prayed, and asked God to reveal it to me, and He did, almost immediately! It was a direct answer to prayer, and I won't soon forget it. The most obvious sign that you are following God's plan is the opposition it will bring! It may be tough. But trust in the Lord, for "The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
Hebrews 10 goes on to say "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised" (verse 36). If you want to receive your reward, keep going! Follow the Lord's will. He knows what's best, and it's our job to obey Him.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:17-18)