Holy not Oldie Week

The problem with reading a book we know the ending of, or watching a game we know the final score for, or viewing a movie we’ve seen before is that we can lose focus and excitement when engaging with it. This is the danger we all face once again walking through one of the most significant weeks on the calendar for our faith—Holy Week. This is the week we remember Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Please don’t miss the strong emotions that are evident in the accounts of this week in the Bible. Since we all seek someone or something we can trust in, when our trust is found to be wrongly placed our emotions can run from anger to betrayal. That is the challenge of Jesus’ disciples before as they stumble through this week dazed by the events that are taking place around them.

Some of us may be having the same challenges in our spiritual lives right now. We all wonder, if not doubt, the trustworthiness of an all powerful good God when bad things happen to us. We even hear this from Bible writers— “Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?” (Jeremiah 12:1). But we also see the strength of those who are challenged by God’s actions expressing a strength of faith that we all need—“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him” (Job 13:15). How do we keep our faith through trying times? Here are a few insights on how to keep from doubting the one we should always trust:

1. Remember the faithfulness of God in the good times (Psalm 63:6-8).
2. Remember His promise that everything that touches us He would use for ‘good’ (Romans 8:28).
3. Respond in faith with ‘joy’—a clear byproduct of trust (James 1:2).
4. Remember that after the pain of the crucifixion comes the exhilaration of the resurrection.

“When you get to your wits end you’ll find God lives there.”