From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is written with an eye toward the past, the present, and the future. And, given that Scripture is true (2 Tim. 3:16), timeless, (Isa. 40:8), and living and active (Heb. 4:12), we can overlay the template of God’s Word over any circumstance we face in life. Thus, it can be a means of finding peace amid life’s storms, when we find ourselves discouraged, anxious, and worried.
The Past You’ve heard the expression, “the past is the best indicator of future performance.” Nowhere is this truer than with being able to trust God himself. The God who clothed himself in flesh and chose to dwell among (John 1:14) us personifies perfect peace, perfect wisdom, perfect timing, and the list goes on. Time and again he has shown himself faithful, and he can be trusted when difficult circumstances arise– even when our own shortcomings or the actions of others fail us.
- Think of a time in Scripture when a child(ren) of God was hopeless but found comfort in God’s faithfulness.
- In your own life, when you’ve felt anxious or worried, how have you been comforted by God’s faithfulness to you in the past?
The Present When Christ was facing crucifixion, he was willing to do the will of the Father, but it did not preclude him from asking if it would be possible for the suffering and death to be taken from him. (Matt. 26:39). He also had an eye toward the future, which gave him hope in the present season of agony (Heb. 12:2). The best stories to be told in the future are often created through the unfolding of less-than-ideal circumstances in the present. Christ’s faithfulness in the past and present makes for a glorious future for all who trust in him. When we suffer, Believers are in good company with Christ. And, through his redemption and grace, our story, like his, doesn’t end with sorrow.
- Being present in the moment with our suffering can be difficult. Who has modeled “suffering well” in your life? How did they do that?
- Write out a prayer that both states the present pain you are experiencing and at the same time speaks to your trust in the Lord amid your worry and anxiety.
The Future To assume that life should always be free from negative emotion, is to deny our humanity, and would assume that we are somehow above faithful men and women of God who suffered greatly at times. Yet to dwell on our fear and anxiety and assume that it is permanent can be debilitating. As we reflect on the words of the Psalmist in 40:1-3, we can imagine this as our own future, in that the waiting was rewarded personally, the Lord was glorified, and many put their trust in Him. All this, coming after having previously been in a slimy pit! Wouldn’t it be something if, one day in the future the story of our past suffering was not only relieved in Christ, but our story somehow pointed others to Him? That’s a great thing to hope for, even as we watch and wait for a better day to come!
- Feelings can be tricky, but it’s helpful to remember: “Whatever I may feel today, I won’t always feel this way.” What difference does it make when we set our eyes on a future hope, as opposed to getting too mired in our present difficulty?
- What’s one small step you could take [in the present] that could lead toward the outcomes the Psalmist mentioned in Ps. 40:1-3?