Trusting God in Trying Times

 

By: Sharon Jaynes,Proverbs 31

“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” 2 Kings 6:16 (NIV)

One phone call, and my life crumbled into a pile of dust easily blown away by shock and unbelief. In a moment, my trust in God was tested as never before. Could I trust Him with this?

Trusting God would certainly be easier if we could see Him and His angel armies face to face. But even though we can’t see them in the physical realm, we can trust they’re in the spiritual realm — a realm more powerful than anything we could ever imagine. Even when we don’t see God working, we can be sure He is.

God shows us a powerful glimpse into that spiritual realm in 2 Kings 6:8-18. Ancient Aram (modern-day Syria) was fighting the Israelites, and God used His prophet Elisha to predict how the Arameans would attack, to warn the Israelite army.

The Bible explains that this enraged the king of Aram, so he began plotting to attack the city and cut off Elisha from helping Israel.

But God stepped in and protected Elisha and his servant and even changed what they were allowed to see.

“When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15-17, NIV).

I’ve felt like this before. Haven’t you? Difficult circumstances press in from every side. “This is too much for me!” I cry, “I can’t do this anymore. I don’t even want to go out of my house. Where are You, God? You promised You would never leave me or forsake me, but I don’t sense Your presence. Why aren’t You doing something? I want out of this story!”

Honest. Raw. Somewhat embarrassing to admit. Sensing the enemies all around, we’re surrounded by problems we cannot solve and people we cannot control.

Elisha’s servant probably felt the same way.

His faith was as flimsy as the tent flaps he stood behind. Elisha’s was as strong as the tent peg anchoring the canvas in place.

“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them’” (2 Kings 6:16).

Did you catch that? Do not be afraid. God is greater.

How can we better trust God during trying times? By remembering, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (v. 16b). Elisha knew there was more power and strength in the unseen reality of the heavenly host than the seen reality of the enemy’s army.

Elisha didn’t pray for God to send an army, because the warring angels on chariots of fire were already there. Elisha simply prayed his servant would be allowed to see them at work.

I always pictured the angel armies and Arameans on opposite hillsides, looking down and squaring off. But that’s not what the Bible says. In reality, the enemies surrounded Elisha in a circle. At the same time, the warring angels were surrounding the enemies — a circle around a circle.

Friend, God is surrounding whatever difficult situation is surrounding you. Jesus painted this same picture in John 14:20 when He said, “… I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (NIV).

God most likely won’t pull back the curtain separating the physical realm from the spiritual realm for us to see, but we can be assured: We’re surrounded by a heavenly host of angels, ready to protect us in our deepest struggles.