Dark days, bright future

August 28, 2006

By Gary Rogers

During a recent day of hospital visitation, I sat beside one man who said from a heart of desperation, “I’ve just got to get my healing from the Lord!”

I then visited a young mother before she went in for a biopsy who proclaimed, “Whatever the outcome I want the Lord to receive glory.” She learned the result of her biopsy was lung cancer.

In the following room a young man said, “We’re here with Dad waiting for him to go on to heaven.” Next to this son lay an elderly gentleman struggling for every breath.

“It’s been really tough here lately,” a lady in another room told me. “I just about lost it the other day.”

Leaving the hospital, I preached the funeral of an 18-year-old young man killed in a motorcycle accident. I prayerfully tried my hardest to communicate to his family and the teenagers who were there the hope and mercy we find in Jesus Christ.

It is on such days I am reminded of Scriptures like:

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19, NKJV).

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

“Strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God’ ” (Acts 14:22).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3,4).

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

“No one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this” (1 Thessalonians 3:3,4).

“My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful” (James 5:10,11).

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12,13).

God does know where we are and what we are going through! He can see us through and there is something ahead that will cause the negative in this life to dim in comparison to the wonderful reality we will experience there. I am convinced God is trustworthy! He is a good God. Things may be hard and difficult now, but we must hang on to our faith in a loving God and place our confidence in Him.

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.