In our struggles in life, we often wrestle with these big questions: Who is God? What is he to us? And who are we in him? When we have his character, nature, and Word settled in our hearts and spirits, it is easier to navigate life’s challenges. After all, God did create everything and still keeps everything going by the breath of his Spirit.
Two events in my life settled the fact in my heart that God was my provider and my source. Once, in the late 1990s, when we had a few financial challenges but were making it, my parents sent us a check for $1,000. Now, you need to understand that my parents never did that before and never did that again after that time. It was an unexpected answer out of nowhere and showed me God was faithful in providing for our family.
A second time was when we were on the mission field in Thailand. We were preparing to come back home to the U.S. after two years of school. We had to pay off $2,700 in airfare. Two weeks before we were to leave, we only had $1,300 in our account, not even half of what we needed. We figured we would have to get jobs right away to pay off the debt on our credit card. When we returned home and got settled in, I called our banker and asked him how our account was doing. He said we had $2,700 in our account - exactly what we needed! These two events proved to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was my source and provider. Other challenges have come up in our lives, but my faith in God providing for us is settled.
I have experienced healing from God several times in my life, but a recent healing showed me that God was my Jehovah Rapha – “God my Healer.” We had been to Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, on a mission trip. I immediately had a cough and sore throat after arriving. That lasted about a week. Then, the next week, the left side of my mouth started drooping, and I could not lift it. It was like the muscles on that side of my face were not working. It was diagnosed as Bell’s Palsy, which can last weeks or months. I went to the Emergency Room, did a few tests, and was given some medication. The left side was already starting to improve. Eight days later, my mouth and the left side of my face were totally recovered! God healed me in a very, very short time. Then, I knew that God was my healer.
As we all face challenges and hard times in life, do we have it settled that God is who he says he is in the Bible? God is sovereign. He created everything, and all things are possible in him. Sometimes, God allows trials in our lives so we have an opportunity to recognize him in another capacity in our lives. Trials can be a gift because, through them, God reveals more of himself to us. Do we believe it beyond a shadow of a doubt? Do we have it settled, once and for all?
Tags: faith, trust, character, strength, questions, source, provider
