Mastering Your Crisis: Part 1

What to do when everything goes wrong

We’ve all had bad days and tough times. However, I’m sure we can all agree that nothing we have ever experienced or can imagine could be worse than being beaten, tortured, and publicly crucified to death in front of your mother and best friends as the penalty for billions of awful sins you didn’t commit…all at the hands of the very people you created, love passionately, and came to serve, save, and take to heaven if only they would consent. This was the ultimate bad day.

How Jesus handled this ultimate crisis contains deeply insightful lessons for each of us individually as we each go through our own lesser but still tough crises and hard times in life. Jesus is a worthy example for us in everything because, although He was the Son of God, we must remember that our Savior suffered as a human being exactly as we do, according to the Scriptures:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Heb. 4:15)

So, how did Jesus endure suffering as a human like us? Our biggest clue comes from the words of Jesus Himself:

[Jesus speaking] “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” (John 16:32)

Jesus knew His Father was with Him and knew His Father would never leave Him. He knew this even when His humanity didn’t feel that way and though He couldn’t see His Father. Jesus knew His Father was with Him because of the same way we can know our Father God is with us—that is, because God says so in His Word…that’s why. Jesus had carefully studied the Word of God of His day, the Old Testament, and knew what His Father has promised to us all:

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:8)

If we view our Heavenly Father as being far away in heaven, it will be natural to feel overwhelmed when we are tested by trials and crises. But if we can ever grasp a vision of the reality of the nearness of God to us and within us, that reality will begin to change everything about our trust and faith in God as well as how we pray and speak with our mouths as we go through our crises.

Just how near is our God to us? Read the words of Jesus for yourself:

[Jesus speaking] “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:18-21)

Two chapters later, Jesus explained what to do when we are faced with trouble in this life:

[Jesus speaking] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Jesus bluntly warned us that troubles will befall us all. Nevertheless, Jesus was equally clear with us that we are to “have peace” in Him despite it all. As my pastor has observed from time to time, “Jesus had the worst day of His life so that you could have the best days of your life.” So true! That is… depending on what our priorities are, of course. If our priorities are the things of this world, the thought that Jesus is literally with us and in us right now may not comfort us that much, if at all.

But for those who are obeying Jesus’ command to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33), this is truly a very comforting thought indeed…even in the midst of our worst crises.

We must know by faith that God is literally right here with each of us, individually, right now. This is the reality of which each of us can ask God to open our human minds to right now.

Carefully meditate on this Scripture about what happened when Elijah the prophet prayed for his servant who was frightened by enemy soldiers that had surrounded their city to capture and kill them:

And Elisha prayed, “Open [my servant’s] eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)

Are your eyes open? Do you see your troubles all around you? Or do you see God and His angels all around you? What you see by faith is what you will have.

I pray that your eyes have been opened and that God will use this message to encourage your faith and trust in Him today.

Be encouraged in the Name of Jesus in all you do and say today! You are blessed. If you believe this by faith, then pray, talk, and act like it. God is faithful to honor His Word, so we know by faith that, in due season, we will reap if we are faithful and tend to our Father’s business:

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Gal. 6:9 KJV)

Praise the Lord! Amen.