Date:
August 2, 2023When Catastrophe Strikes
In the midst of catastrophe your priorities change. You find the things once important to you are now insignificant. And you become more sensitive to God—you learn to trust Him like never before.
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Tough Stuff
A crisis is any event that leads, or is expected to lead to, an unstable and dangerous situation, which affects an individual, family, group, community or society as a whole. Crises are deemed to be negative changes in life especially when they occur abruptly. Since a crisis is a testing time or an emergency event, we may panic, become stressed, or struggle to cope as a result.
Regardless of the reason for the crisis God is always in control. He cares about what we are going through (1 Peter 5:7) and He never forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5). God provides grace for our times of need if we humbly look to Him (John 15:5; Philippians 4:13). That grace can manifest itself in whatever we need: peace (Isaiah 26:3), comfort (Psalm 23:4), stability, protection, or guidance (Psalm 31:3). He will strengthen and uphold us (Isaiah 41:10). God also assures us that He can work in and through the crisis for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).
Four Characteristics of Catastrophe
Catastrophes don’t usually give advanced warning. But you can be prepared—faith in Christ will help you weather the storms of life. He promises to always be with you and never leave you.
Learning from the Crosses
When we meet with trials our typical response is resistance. But trials have a purpose, they help us mature and they teach us to depend on God.
What is Your Final Authority?
When times are tough what matters is your focus. If you focus on your problems they’ll seem insurmountable. If you focus on God you’re trusting Him for the outcome. And nothing is impossible for God.
It's Always Something!
Trials. Challenges. Hardships. There will always be tough stuff in life. So what is there to do? God tells us to let go, and trust Him completely.
Focusing on the Objective
When you find yourself unable to move forward in life, it’s probably because you’re focusing on the obstacle rather than the objective. Remember nothing is impossible for God...He specializes in the impossible.
When Adversity Leads to Humility
Pastor Chuck Swindoll contemplates the qualities and outcomes of a humble heart. Follow along in John 13:1–17 as Jesus washes the feet of His disciples.
When Calamity Crashes In
Study Job 1 and 2 with Pastor Chuck Swindoll, and grasp how the assaults on Job’s family, health, and belongings threatened to pull him away from God.
Preparing for Adversity
How you respond to adversity reveals the strength of your character. How well do you run when life’s uphill climbs get longer and steeper?
Jesus is Our Bridge
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He set the ultimate example of love when He died on the cross to pay for our sins and have eternal fellowship with us. Jesus is our bridge over troubled water.
