COPING WITH LIFE’S CALAMITIES

BIBLE PASSAGE:
When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, 
but even in death the righteous have a refuge.  
(Proverbs 14:32)

MEDITATION:
Sometimes we think we have everything together.
Everything is going just the way we want it to go,
but then suddenly, out of the blue, something upsets our world.
It could be a sickness, a loss of job, a wayward child, or some other tragedy.
We can become devastated to the point of depression 
unless we have a place of refuge.

When we were children, our refuge was our parents.
We knew we could bring anything to them 
and they would encourage us and assure us that it would be okay.
But when we become adults, 
everything changes and we can sometimes feel all alone.

For those who do not have a relationship with the Lord,
situations can seem unresolvable, unrepairable, and hopeless.
Even close friends who are concerned and want to help,
may not know the answers we are looking for, and need at that time.
Others may love us, care about us, and want to encourage us,
but cannot find the words that will console us and lift our spirits.

The scriptures tell us that when we are in a righteous relationship 
with the Lord, we have access to the Advocate we need for all situations.
It is refreshing to have this assurance from God’s Word, 
but at the same time it is sad to realize that lost souls 
have nowhere to turn when calamities hit.

Fear can be debilitating in many ways, 
but those who belong to the Lord are no longer slaves to fear.
It doesn’t mean we do not have concerns and twinges of fear for the 
unknown, but the fear doesn’t dominate us and control our entire being.

The Psalmist broke the chains of fear in his life.
But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head 
high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I 
lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not 
fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. (Psalm 3:3-6)

We know that at night, difficulties can become magnified in our minds, as 
the distractions of the day are gone and we are left with our inner thoughts. 
Think about the times you may have tossed and turned 
during the night over some problem in your life.

It could have been an issue with someone else that caused you to spend 
much of the night planning on how you would approach them the next day.
You probably even anticipated how they would react to your comments
and what you would say next. 
Although you lost sleep, you had the confidence that you were prepared 
for the next day, but the truth is, it seldom plays out as you planned.
The bottom line is, you lost a lot of sleep and they probably slept well.
 
Even in the worst of circumstances, the Psalmist declared that he 
would not allow fear to steal from him the rest and sleep he required. 
How could he do that?
It was his relationship with the Lord that gave him 
the capability to cope with the problems and issues in his life. 
He didn’t try to work out his problems in his own strength, 
but called out to the Lord…the One who knew of his calamities 
and could help him through them.

A few of the lyrics from a song about fear:
You unravel me, with a melody, You surround me with a song
Of deliverance, from my enemies, Till all my fears are gone
I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God

ACTION:
How are you handling the calamities in your own life?
Do you allow fear to create a panic in you and distract you 
from going to your refuge of strength, encouragement and hope?
The Lord is omnipresent (always available), omniscient (all knowing),
and omnipotent (all powerful), so He is the One we should seek 
when things go south in in our lives.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me, caring for me, and always 
being there to help me though any situation that threatens my peace 
and happiness. I am thankful for the times You have helped me in the 
past, and how You will encourage me in any future calamities. Help 
me to develop a habit of going to You first when problems arise. 
Thank You God for your righteousness, grace, mercy, forgiveness, 
blessings, availability, salvation, and promise that You can help me 
overcome any surprises that have the potential of devastating my life.”

blog: UTVOLWOODY.WORDPRESS.COM