November 1

Troubled by Being Troubled?

Wait for your God always (Hosea 12:6).

Scripture: Hosea 12:2-6

Song: “Does Jesus Care?”

In Bunyan’s allegory, The Holy War, he wrote about a castle called Mansoul, built for Prince Emmanuel. It had five gates such as Eye Gate and Ear Gate. And, it was populated with characters such as Will, Innocence, and Conviction. The story traces the castle’s citizens through rebellion against the Prince, rescue by the Prince, relapsed fellowship with the Prince, and restoration to the Prince.

In the “relapse,” Mansoulians became self-absorbed until they discovered the Prince could not be found. Lacking peace, they became deeply troubled until the High Secretary of the Prince helped them compose a letter of repentance. Then they waited.

Waiting for God to restore lost peace is difficult even when sin is not the culprit. The loss can be as innocent and simple as an unexplainable inner sense of disquiet. The difficulty is, whether waiting for the mist to lift or for the truth of forgiveness to sink in, being troubled naturally leads to worry, and worry can lead to the sinful conclusion that God does not care.

Jesus dealt with troubled feelings (see John 11:33; 12:27; 13:21). He also demonstrated His power to resist worry by focusing on what the Father wanted Him to do (Hebrews 12:2). He demonstrated that the basic game plan in troubled times is to keep focused on the truth that God does care (1 Peter 5:7).

Faithful God, thank You for the clear testimony that You care. Whether I’m troubled or not, help me to keep that truth in focus. In Jesus’ name. Amen