Triumph in Trouble
“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
~ Proverbs 19:23
“If there is a God, and He’s so good, why does He let bad things happen to His people?” It’s a common quandry among those struggling to believe, but this verse in Proverbs redirects our perspective: It’s not about why He allows trouble to come, but how He protects us in the midst of it. I can hear my disbelieving readers’ harrumph from here. “God doesn’t protect His people. They’re tortured, killed, or given over to illness every day. Just like everyone else,” you say. Yes, yes they are. What I’m learning, however, is that God’s protection isn’t necessarily a here-and-now, physical shield. It’s a promise that no matter what attacks us in body, our spirit will remain indominable, and our future is secure.
Trouble WILL come, but take heart!
Jesus himself guarantees that trouble WILL come in John 16:33. He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (emphasis mine) The best example I have ever seen of taking heart in times of trouble was through my former co-worker, Connie Puryear.
The best example of Triumph in Trouble I have ever met!
Connie was the kind of person who smiled all the time. There was a joy about her even during the most stressful times of our year that was just contagious. For the entire first year I knew her, I had no clue that she had been diagnosed with cancer as a newlywed twenty-some years before or that during her fight to live, she had lost her ability to have children. I didn’t know she had recently gone through yet another round of chemo, lost her hair (again), and was wearing a wig. Nothing about Connie ever gave the impression she saw herself as a victim. She was a warrior, a conqueror, and like David, danced in the streets, celebrating victory and life every day. She had a peace about her life because she knew Who controlled everything about it. I see now that Connie never sweated the small stuff – and compared to fighting cancer, repeatedly, everything else was small.
When I left my job in Texas, I once again didn’t realize Connie’s cancer had returned. I found out a few months ago that she had died, and just sat in stunned silence. If ever there was someone I thought would win the battle, it was Connie. Now, as I contemplate these verses about being untouched by the trouble we are sure to face in this life, I wonder if Connie didn’t manage to beat cancer after all, because she never let it beat HER.
Trouble doesn’t have to destroy us!
Through everything Connie faced, she never let her momentary trouble affect who she was in Christ:
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Her character never changed. If anything, it only grew stronger with each chemo round.
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She knew her station would never change. Even if her hair fell out yet again, she knew she was still a Daughter of the King, a Princess, and a Beloved Bride.
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Most importantly, Connie knew her inheritance would never change. Regardless of how many times she had to fight or even if she died in the battle, she believed the promise that God would welcome her home with open arms, show her to a mansion filled with the treasures she had stored up during her life well spent, and give her a new body, free of the shackles she wore on Earth.
Connie’s life and legacy remind me that though our lives are not protected from the crap that comes with living in a fallen world, we ARE able to “rest content,” knowing that who we are in Christ and all He has promised us in the life to come will be “untouched by trouble.”
Have you expected God to provide His people with an easy, trouble-free life? What trouble are you now fighting? How can you begin to focus on God’s promises that will always remain untouched by your circumstances?
As a former University Resident Director, Career Counselor, Certified Personality Trainer, and high school Spanish teacher, Laura has quite the “scattered” background — with one underlying theme: education! She writes to teach and inspire women on topics related to faith, family, and lifework. She is also a resume writer, specializing in resumes for moms, career changers, and new graduates.
