EXPOSITION:

One of the key lessons in life is learning how to handle afflictions and troubles and at the same time, remaining hopeful. The Bible is filled with God’s promise of His abiding presence with all who put their trust in Him. In Mathew 28:20, Jesus said “And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. Always is always! David knew this and so even in his darkest moment, he remained calm and hopeful.

Afflictions, suffering, troubles and crisis are part of our Christian walk and may come in varied forms and degrees yet in the midst of that, we Do Not Lose Hope because we can respond positively to them by learning from Jesus Christ. Jesus and many others such as Job, David, Hannah, Joseph etc. went through difficult times in their walk with God.

In the case of Jesus Christ, Scripture says that, He learnt obedience from the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8) Jesus perfectly understands Christian suffering because he went through one. For that reason, He is able to better relate with us in our trying moments. Most often, crisis break and causes some to give up in life. Some lose their focus in their trying moments. However, the Bible has a lot of examples of individuals who through their suffering and trail moments, overcame, with the help of the Holy Spirit and determination. They now serve as living testimonies! Knowing that Jesus is with you gives you confidence and hope to sail through the storm of life.

This week, we shall be looking at crisis or afflictions and how to respond to them if they come our way. We shall also draw lessons from how crisis can be used as a stepping stone to develop an intimate relationship with God, and learn from how Jesus handled crisis in His earthly ministry and the hope He offers for all who go through difficulties in their lives.