** For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. ** Isaiah 25:4
A strength. A refuge. A shadow. A wall of protection.
We have all experienced at least one of these declarations of hope over the years in our walk with the Lord. At one time or another, He has provided us courage and strength to face hardships. He has been a refuge and a protective wall when the storms of life are crashing around us. And He has been a shadow, a shade from the heat in the midst of the fiery trials of our faith.
** For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: ** Luke 12:48
The Lord’s kindness encourages us to keep going against the tide of trouble and discouragement in our daily lives. We are grateful for His help and for His gentleness with us. Without Him, we would all be lost and without hope.
++ To whom much is given ++…
Because we have experienced the Lord at our side, guiding us through the dark tunnels of confusion and hurt, we can all share our own stories about His helping Hand and His tender Heart with others. He wants us to share how He comforts us. He wants us to explain to others how He helped us when we were walking through difficult times. We can be ambassadors of Hope for Him. We can share what it is like to be from a heavenly country that helps and encourages and supports one another. We can comfort, encourage, and protect others like the Lord has done for us and allow others to lean on us when they are out of strength. Not instead of God. But working alongside Him in His ministry of comfort and reconciliation.
Because we are the recipients of the Lord’s hope and comfort, we are compelled to help others that go through the same or similar problems. People need every day people who have already walked where they are about to walk. They need us to guide them in their troubles and help them to find the Lord in the midst of them.
2 Corinthians 1 tells us that we can ** comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.**
Our trials and problems are not for wallowing, nor are they for self-promotion. They are given to us to help us grow in our faith and to be strengthened to help someone else in the midst of their own pain.
One of Jesus Christ’s purposes for coming to earth was to show us how to live. He showed us how to minister to people. He showed us how to spend time with the Father asking for the courage and strength to help others.
And then He sent us to do the same.
The Christian life is not about being able to quote Scripture to someone. It is about walking through their dark days with them and helping them find God’s light and hope.
God is our refuge and our strength. He also wants to be that for those that cross our paths every day.
It’s up to us to point them in His direction, no?