By Pastor Rick Hagar

Often times throughout history, when there appeared to be great turmoil or unrest, the people of God would question where is God in all of this, and why is He allowing us to go through this. And so as our country continues to work through its current unrest, many of us are asking those same types of questions. Where is God during this time of Pandemic that is gripping our country and many parts of the world? Where is God during the times of unrest and violence in our American cities and local communities?

It is in those times we must remember that God is a sovereign God. He is the supreme authority over all things and all things are under His absolute control. And in His sovereignty, He is ultimately working all things out according to His perfect will and good pleasure and for our good as His dear children.
The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Church of Rome encouraged them by saying, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8: 18)

He is reminding them and us that even though they are going through many trials and tribulations, those trials and tribulations do not compare with the glorious things that await us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And for those of us, who have put our faith and trust in Christ, know this to be true.

He then went on to say in the same chapter, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8: 28-29) We can know that all things, regardless of the trials and tribulations, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, are actually working out for our good if we truly love God and are seeking His will and purpose in our lives.

And we are assured that God’s ultimate goal for us, and our ultimate goal for ourselves should be to be in the process of being conformed to the image of his dear Son, Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul then concludes this chapter by reminding us that he is persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Roman 8: 38-39) Paul’s list covers about anything a Child of God could ever encounter, but assures us that none of these can separate us from the love of God, which is demonstrated in and through Christ Jesus our Lord.

What struggles are you facing today? What trials and tribulations are you encountering in your daily life? As a child of God, we can rest in the knowledge that God is in complete control and He is working all things out for our good and His glory. And in that knowledge we can experience sweet peace even when the storms are all around us. May we rest in that sweet peace today and everyday.

Read more articles from VOM Magazine here: https://www.veteransoutreachministries.org/vom-magazine/