When tragedy strikes, how can you stand? What can you trust in the midst of suffering? When you are afraid, how do you keep from hyperventilating into the nearest paper bag? When hope hides, how do you find it?
When you totter on the cliff of despair, you can maintain your footing if you drive your stake of faith into these 5 attributes of God.
Compassion. He suffered. He felt pain. He understands. And He weeps with us.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV)
Love. God does not just love us. He IS love. Everything He does flows out of His love, and nothing comes to us that hasn’t been filtered by His love.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NASB)
Omnipresence. Always present everywhere. Available 24/7, even in the worst of times. He inhabits every situation.
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139:7-12 NIV).
Sovereignty. God sits on His throne. He controls what seems out of control. He reigns over all. Everything is part of His overall purpose and plan.
“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.” (Psalm 103:19 – NASB)
“I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2 NASB)
Eternal. He is the everlasting One. The Alpha and Omega. Who was and is and will be. He is timeless. His time is not my time. My ways are not His ways. He is “I AM.”
“The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27a NIV)
Do not run from Him when tough times come. Don’t close the door on Him.
Draw CLOSE to Him.
It works for me.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV)
Are you in a struggle right now? Will you stake your faith on these footings and draw CLOSE to Him?
Copyright © 2009 by Sandra Heska King
