For a couple of weeks now I have been reading from the book of Jeremiah and God has been speaking into my present situation, giving me revelation on faith and trust in God’s bigger plan.

Here is just a little background about Jeremiah; he was known as the “weeping prophet” in a time when nations were falling apart because of sin and was not particularly favourable in the public eye. He was young when God first called him saying, “Do not say ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.” (Jeremiah 1v7) God had set Jeremiah apart to be someone that would be His voice to nations. He had few friends but the friends he had were significant. He loved and feared the Lord and when the Lord said, “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to [the nations] whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.”Jeremiah answered the call.

So I was reading through and when I got to chapter 12 where Jeremiah asks God a question that I have been really struggling with, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?”(Jeremiah 12v1)I moved to the other side of the planet in faith to follow you, I have had to fight every step of the way to get here and now that I am here I have to fight to stay hre. Why is it that people that aren’t living for you have so much and seem to have no worries in the world and here I am, doing what you asked me to do and I don’t even have enough sponsorship to make next months’ rent. What God responded really gave me a huge shift in my perspective.

God’s Answer was, “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”(Jeremiah 12v5) He goes on to speak of the evil times they were in when family was betraying family and people have turned to their sin and there was no consideration for God. He was saying that look around you! How do you think that you will survive this sinful world if I don't challenge you to better yourself. If you are going to go where I have called you to go, then you will have to be mentally, physically, and spiritually mature. Those men that have it easy are not going anywhere, they are not wanting to be challenged or changed to be better people and they are certainly not bringing glory to God.

When I first started this journey with God I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into but I definitely didn’t think that one of my biggest struggles would be trusting God with finances. I figured that it would just fall into place and God would do all the work. I have learned that God uses the situations we are in to expand our knowledge of who God is and who we are and how we are to work together. God does not put us through trails because he is mean or angry but because He wants to strengthen us for the times we are in.

Growth in our relationship with God requires uncomfortable moments where we depend completely on Him. A problem we have in the western world is that we don’t think we need God. We try so hard to have the latest and the best things so we can feel good about ourselves but God is the only one that can satisfy our souls. Living a life devoted to Jesus is in no way easy, but it is completely rewarding and worth it. God is using the troubles of today to prepare us for what is ahead. God knows what is coming way before you even have a clue, so learn to trust in God’s work.

For God will work all things together for those who love Him.