The Struggle Is Real

But Trouble Don’t Last Always

Jeremiah 29:10-14

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

2 Chronicles 7:12-18

13 Suppose I hold back the rain or send locusts to eat the crops or make my people suffer with deadly diseases. 14 If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them and make their land fertile once again. 15 I will hear the prayers made in this temple, 16 because it belongs to me, and this is where I will be worshiped forever. I will never stop watching over it.

Jeremiah 29:10-14

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

2 Chronicles 7:12-18 [God’s second visit to Solomon after building the temple.]

13 Suppose I hold back the rain or send locusts to eat the crops or make my people suffer with deadly diseases. 14 If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them and make their land fertile once again. 15 I will hear the prayers made in this temple, 16 because it belongs to me, and this is where I will be worshiped forever. I will never stop watching over it.

Two years ago, the outbreak of the COVID-19 began. This pandemic changed the world, churches, and people’s lives. I have experienced death within my own family who succumbed to this disease. I know many people within these church walls and listening today through our live stream may have struggled with it personally or with family or friends. Working as a resident chaplain at the hospital during the beginning of this pandemic, I witnessed firsthand how patients were affected by the quarantine. Family members or friends were no longer allowed to visit them in their rooms or accompany them in the emergency room. Death would come, and the family would not be allowed to see their loved ones until they were brought to the mortuary. Next Sunday, our church will open its doors once again, but COVID-19 safety guidelines will still be in place.

I mentioned COVID-19 because it is an ongoing problem in people’s lives today. But there are also other struggles going on as well. Most everyone knows about the war in the Ukraine, how it has affected the people living there. To an extent, it involves use too, as we see our gas prices steadily climbing. I could not believe it cost me over 40 dollars to fill my car with gas the other day.

My brothers and sisters, visitors, friends, and family members, the struggle is real, but trouble does not last always. So, my question to you this morning is this; what are you struggling with today? It may be a troubled marriage, trouble with children, how to pay rent, how to put food on the table, how to put gas in the car to run necessary errands, or going to work. You may be struggling with addiction; you may be struggling with depression because "life just doesn't seem fair."

I remember when I asked, “Why me, Lord?” The response back was, “Why not you.” How many people under the sound of my voice this morning have not asked the same question, “Why me, Lord?”

Even Jesus asked the question, “Why.” Matthew 27:46 reads, “And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and Psalm 22:1-2 states, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.

In Job chapter 3, Job cursed the day he was born and in Job 30:20 he said, “I cry to you and you do not answer me; I stand, and you merely look at me.”

Some examples of people and their struggles in the New Testament are; the man who laid by the pool Bethesda with an infirmity thirty and eight years waiting to be placed in the water to be healed, the woman with an issue of blood for twelve years, blind Bartimaeus, Lazarus lying dead and stinking in the tomb for four days, the man with the withered hand, a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. And there are others not mentioned here. Why them? They became the testimony of Jesus’ many miracles that he performed while he walked this earth. When he, Jesus, was on the scene, trouble, sickness, disease, death, demons, and even the winds had to obey him. Trouble don’t last always; Jesus is still on the scene this moment, tomorrow, and forever.

For some examples, let's take a step back in time to the Old Testament. Joseph was sold to the Egyptians by his brothers. The children of Israel wandered in the desert 40 years afterward; they took the Promise Land. The children of Israel were in captivity for 70 years during Daniel's time. Naomi lost her husband and two sons in the land of Moab. Still, when she returned home, Ruth, her daughter-in-law and faithful companion, refused to leave her side. Hannah cried out to God for a son bringing forth the prophet, Samuel. But, of course, I cannot leave out Job.

We, you and I, will face trials and tribulations in this lifetime, whether you are Christian or not. We may even have family members and friends that may become a Judas in our life, but Matthew 5:43-45 reads, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”

Remember Paul and Silas in Acts 16? Verse 23 reads, “After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.” Did they moan, groan, and complain? Did they wallow in their misery and pain? No! Verse 25 through 26 reads, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” Trouble don’t last always.

In Acts 12, “that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.” Why did this happen, because “constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” Trouble don’t last always.

I watched this video on the internet the other day entitled, “Always remember to put the glass down.” The speaker asked certain students in the class how much the water in the glass weighed. After each student answered, the speaker said, “The absolute weight of the glass doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold on to it.” He goes on to say, “The longer I hold on to it the heavier it becomes. Like the glass of water, the stresses and worries become heavier as we hold on to them. So, we must learn to put the glass down.”

Philippians 4:6-7 reads, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 6:25 states, “’Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?’” and in verse 34 reads, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Proverbs 12:25 reads, “Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

Psalm 55:22 - Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

I cannot give you a sound theological reason, “Why, bad things seem to always happen to good people.” But I would like to give you my opinion, my thought, and input in the matter. Jesus stated to his disciples in John 16:7, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate [the Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” Everything Jesus did he pointed to God, his father. In Luke 22:42, Jesus, while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion, said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” And likewise in Mark 14:36, “He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” Jesus’ struggles throughout his life here on earth with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and certain Jewish people had a plan and purpose, his death, burial, and resurrection. Ephesians 4:22-24 reads, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Today we, you and I, have the same opportunity to die to our old ways and be resurrected in Christ.

Final thoughts and message.