By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Psalm 34:19-20 “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken._” – NIV The psalmist acknowledged in his meditations that there can be many troubles for the righteous. There is the devil, the god of the evil system of the world, whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy. He will stir up trouble and cause much havoc in people’s lives and relationships. These result in lost relationships, joy and peace. People get wounded, hate, and fight each other, find no sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. Some resort to dangerous lifestyles to ease inner pain.Many have had series of devastating occurrences one after another. Life has not been a straight smooth line, but rough, crooked and sometimes very uncertain. Society is full of problems caused by poverty, sickness and disease, wars and destruction, crime and violence, and death. Because of this, many get disappointed, feel pain, cry out, lose hope. Even with acquisition of things comes its fears and troubles. Life seems a gamble. Many are wounded within.Thank God this grim picture of our lives and society is not the end of the story. Out of all the troubles and challenges we may face, the bible teaches that God rescues us out of them all. Jesus warned His disciples that they would have trouble in this world, but encouraged them not to let their hearts be troubled. We may still experience pain, sorrow, dilemmas and trials of various kinds. But victory is certain in Christ. Let’s hang in there. _John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”__Acts 14:22 “…strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.”_Shalom children of God.