Persevering Through Difficulties

When difficulties or challenges arise in our lives, we must choose how we are going to respond. We can view the difficulty as the end of the story or we can wait and see what God is going to do. Throughout Scripture we see people face difficulties, some of their own making and some they had no control over. However, God always seems to move on their behalf to bring about great things.

One such story is the story of Joseph. Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery. He is taken from his home into Egypt. While in Egypt he ends up in prison. If ever someone had a reason to declare defeat and just give up, it was Joseph. However, Joseph continued to give life his all and to trust the Lord. The time came that God raised Joseph up out of his dungeon and put him in a place of power.

It was in this place of power, essentially the Prime Minister of Egypt, that Joseph once again faces his brothers. In spite of all they did to him and the fact that his life was incredibly difficult because of their actions, he displays grace. When his brothers discovered that it was him, they were afraid. Was he going to use this opportunity to settle the score? Joseph does not. Instead, Joseph says to them, “do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen. 45:5).

Joseph recognized that God has been working the whole time. Though he had to face some very dark hours, God had sent him ahead to prepare for a coming famine. Now that time and come the purposes of God were revealed. Many of us face difficult days. It is often hard to understand what God is up to. However, we must keep the faith, live our lives as God has called us to, and press forward in optimism. When the time comes, God’s purposes will be revealed.

PRAYER AND PRIORITIES

A defining characteristic of Jesus’ followers is that they ought to be a people of prayer. As Jesus prepares to go to the cross, He makes a visit to the temple. When He arrives at the temple, He discovers that all sorts of things are going on, but not the one thing that ought to be happening, worship. There are people there buying and selling animals. There are people exchanging money and taking advantage of each other. There are still others who are just using the temple as a pass-through, walking through the courtyard to avoid going around. All of this is more than Jesus can take.

We are told in Luke 19:45 that as Jesus entered the temple He, “began to drive out those who sold.” It is interesting that just before this scene Luke records some of the thoughts of Jesus that relate to Jerusalem. In fact, Jesus wept over the city (Luke 19:41). His heart is broken because this city failed to recognize who He was and the peace that they truly could have had. What is at the root of them missing their “visitation” (Luke 19:44)? They had forgotten about true worship, true prayer, and honestly seeking God. How do we know this? Because of the condition in which Jesus finds the temple.

Having ridden into town and weeping over the city, having gone to the temple and discovering that it had been turned into a market place, Jesus now acts. After driving out all who sold, Jesus says, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers” (Luke 19:46). Jesus reminds them what their priority should have been as followers of the living God. They had lost focus and got their priorities mixed up.

We must make sure that we do not make the same mistake. Prayer must be a priority in our lives. This means that we must make time for prayer. We must discipline ourselves to pray. We must value of prayer. It is imperative that prayer hold its rightful place in our lives.