I Got This!

The prophet Jeremiah is reputed to be one of the great prophets. His call was not accidental, in fact, the word of God recorded that before he was formed in his mother’s womb, God called him (Jeremiah 1:5). His prophecies were right on point and he devoted his life and attention to his calling. When one reads this account, our logical minds would conclude that he had an extremely successful ministry, celebrated by the government of the day and must have had fame and fortune which are the ‘external’ evidences of his call. Unfortunately, the reverse was the case. One can safely conclude that the troubles he kept getting for his prophecies outweighed his expectations of being a highly celebrated prophet for his accurate predictions. I bet if Jeremiah lived in our time, we would have either concluded that God did not call him and he was using a different means to ‘see’ the things he was seeing or he must have committed a great sin to attract such great persecutions his way. It is worthy of note that in the midst of all his troubles, Jeremiah cried out to the Lord (as any frail human): “You deceived me, Lord and I was deceived. You seized me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all the time, everyone ridicules me” (Jeremiah 20:7).

Friend, you may be like Jeremiah going through diverse troubles because of your faith and call in Jesus Christ. Like you, so many are being threatened on a daily basis because of this all over the world. So many despair and wonder why they are going through so much persecution. They feel betrayed and abandoned by God. Please understand that God did not deceive or betray you but all you are going through is allowed by Him for His glory and to grow your faith in Him: “For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of Him who subjected it – in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children” (Romans 8:20-21). The Lord told us specifically that since they persecuted Him we will be all so. Thus, what you are going through is not strange to Him in fact it is a proof that you are on the right track and in the right company! As the year draws to a close and it looks as if things had not panned out the way they ought to, understand and retain this truth: “But the Lord is with me like a violent warrior. Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. Since they have not succeeded they will be utterly shamed, an everlasting humiliation that will never be forgotten” (Jeremiah 20:11). Take the burdens to the Lord and leave them there. Enter the New Year, if He tarries, with rejoicing and an assurance that He sees, knows and intends recompense you for every pain, tear, stress you went or are going through. God did not abandon you. On the contrary: “He remembered us in our humiliation. His love is eternal, and rescued us from our foes. His love is eternal” (Psalm 136:23-24). The love of God is true and real. Nothing He does is in error: He is the Master Strategist and there is a beautiful tomorrow awaiting you only if you will stand up from every mat of depression, worries, bitterness, guilt and sadness. Rejoice! Because His love for you is forever and He is saying to you: “I got this”. Let Him! God bless you as you yield to His voice.