“For I am doing something in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.” (Habukkuk 1:5)
 

If you turn on the news today it always seems very negative majority of the media coverage includes possibility of war. Hurricanes take out power in cities. Companies are laying off hundreds of workers. Children are killed by their parents. There is a lot of injustice in the world that can make us question if there is a God? Or even why is God not intervening? Why is He allowing for all this to happen? We can get drained from negative circumstances and just want everything to be right in the world.  When devastating circumstances rock our lives, we can doubt God and what He is even doing.

God is not scared of our questions or our doubt. Instead, he gives us hope in hard times. Sometimes the plan that God is doing is completely unbelievable that we would not even believe it even if we tried. We can only see a part of the story and not the entire picture. God sees the entire picture and can work things together for good. God is working in our lives and in the world in ways what we could not imagine.

​It can feel like God is absent or not listening during these times, but he hears our cries and wants the best for us. God is bigger than any of our circumstances and can make a way when we see there is no way.  The situation may seem bleak but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Your situation does not define who you are. You are worth more than your situation.
 
Heavenly Father, there is so much violence and negative circumstances in the world that I do not understand. It is hard to find hope when there is so much wrongdoing. But God, may I continue to trust in you for I know you are doing something completely unbelievable that I could not even imagine happening.
 
Praying,
Stacy Watkins

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; he cares for those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7)
 
Where do we go when there is trouble? In elementary school we practice occasionally, what to do when a fire happens, an earthquake happens, or any possible danger. Students knew where they can seek refuge who are the responders who are good that are there to help. The responders did not know us though they were simply there to do a job to make sure there was no fire, or no person who was not authorized to be there was not there. The teachers knew us at school so we could take refuge in them, but they did not know us completely. Some distresses we are not prepared for, and our lives are always dated before and after the event that happened. We can think back to prior when we could pack an entire lunch and even smoke on planes while now you can barely even bring water through security let alone even walk through security with shoes on.

In a day of distress, it is hard to think critically to think what to do next. When we are actively going through a traumatic event like a divorce, medical emergency, or anything that can cause us extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain it can feel hard to know exactly what to do in the situation. Often, these situations can feel like they are personal attacks from God, and he does not care for us. However, this is not the case. God loves you; God is good, he cares for you, he knows what you’re going through and sees you. He desires for us to come to him with our problems to earnestly seek him. We can be assured that we can take refuge in him during our traumatic events. 
 
Heavenly Father, when I see no way out of my situation and feel like it is unbearable lord, I thank you that I can turn to you and know that I am loved by you. May I continue to seek you in my situation and find refuge in you.
 
Praying,
Stacy Watkins

This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true plumb, with a plumb line in his hand.
 
A plumb line is a weight suspended from a string used as a vertical reference line to ensure a structure is centered. It is used to make sure that everything is right, centered, and justified. It does this by finding the vertical axis pointing to the center of gravity.

Everyone has their own concept of what is just, right, and even true. So many of us are quick to seek out justice ourselves when things do not go our way. We get angry and shout, break things, and even hurt people thinking that this is a right response. Today’s culture has a lot to say on what is right. The only problem with this is what was right at one time may no longer be considered right. Our concept changes over time when it comes to justice. Many laws are written by groups of people with different beliefs, backgrounds, educational degrees. Many of us are taught right from wrong but, it is based on how we each grew up, from mentors, parental figures, and those who influenced us.

George Neumark wrote “If you but trust in God to guide you and place your confidence in Him, you’ll find Him always there beside you to give you hope and strength within; for those who trust God’s changeless love build on the rock that will not move” from the song If you but trust in God to Guide You. There are many different things today that we can look to for guidance for on what is right and even just. However, it is not true justice it wavers from time to time. God’s justice scale is true and perfect for he knows exactly what justice is, he knows people’s circumstances, their hearts, and his love never changes towards us. Though you may want to seek out justice for whatever wrong that has happened to you trust in God to continue to guide you through your situation.
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Praying,
Stacy Watt