The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him… Nahum 1:7 

Open Q: Do you feel God is distant and does not care about you, your situation, or your concerns?  

Main Point: God is good!  We can have an outlook of enjoyment and real, authentic happiness–even in distress and uncertainty.  What do you think? 

What does this mean?  Our trying circumstances will threaten our contentment and ability to persevere, such as pain, suffering, or loss. In these times our Lord is our Refuge.  We have a call to seek God, place Him first, think through our situation, and plan accordingly to do what is best and what honors God.  We can Trust in the LORD. We must place our faith in God so we have conviction and commitment to know Him and rely on Him (Ex. 14:32; Psalm 4; 37:3; Prov. 3:5; Jer. 39:18; Acts 14:23).  

What can we do?  We can appeal to God to hear us and have mercy. Our call is to show respect for His holiness. God promises us He will come to our rescue, but it will not always be when and what we hoped for. His plan is best, even when we do not see it (Psalm 25:4-5; Isa. 45:13; Jer. 23:6). 

Challenge Questions: 

Q: How do you feel that God promises are not always when and what you may have hoped for?  

Q: What do you need to do to have more confidence in God’s plan even when you do not understand it?  

Q: If you feel your prayers don’t seem to be heard or responded to, what should you do?  

How does this apply? We can have confidence in God. Even though it seems our prayers are not being heard or responded to, the Lord has set apart the godly for His purpose and plan, and He will answer us in His time. 

Where is my Hope in this? Times will improve; but even if they do not, I will trust in God. I know He smiles upon me and loves me; therefore He is my joy even when my situation is not joyful. I have peace and security even when others come against me. My God will keep me safe in Him!