God's Help in Times of Struggle

Jim:

There is an idea at work in the 1 Kings and Acts passages that provides comfort when we reach the words in the Mark passage.

1 Kings 1:1-31
Verse 29 says, “The king [David] swore, saying, ‘As the Lord lives, who has saved my life from every adversity…’” David readily recognizes God’s presence in his life during times of turmoil and struggle, and also recognizes that it was by God’s grace that he has survived. No matter what the challenge, be it Saul’s attempts to kill him, or Absalom’s treason, or any other event, God has been with David as a source of strength and comfort, and so, near the end of his life, David can describe God as the one who has brought him through “every adversity.”

Acts 26:1-23
Paul, on trial before King Agrippa, made a similar claim saying (in verse 22), “To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great…” Looking back on his life Paul knew that it was by God’s grace that he had accomplished what he had, that God had preserved him in times of challenge and struggle. This confidence motivated him as he looked toward the future and what might await him. Paul is not afraid.

Mark 13:14-27
Confidence in times of struggle is something to which Christians should lay claim. According to Jesus, “in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now…” Being a Christian does not remove struggle from one’s life. Struggle, adversity, difficulty are never completely removed from the life of the believer. Whatever the truth about Mother Teresa and her faith, it is clear that she faced times of doubt and conflict. We all do. Jesus seems to promise nothing less. But David and Paul each knew what we must hold on to, that in God is our ultimate deliverance, that, in the words of the psalmist, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2).” When we face times of trial, we may lean on God’s grace and providence for help.