Hurt and Hate

January 31, 2021 by Steve Rossi – The Christian Counselor in Houston, Texas

Emotional wounds come in a variety of ways but they have one thing in common, they hurt. Betrayal, abuse, abandonment, rejection, neglect, and deception create deep emotional wounds. People deal with hurt differently. Some work through their pain and move forward with their lives. Some hold onto the pain and live crippled lives emotionally. Others cling to the hurt and progress to intense anger and hatred toward their offenders. Hurt doesn’t always progress to hatred but it can linger indefinitely if the person does not take steps to heal. Sometimes offenses are misperceived and have no reality base at all. The person feels offended when no offense has been made. Other times the truth is mixed with lies about what really happened to make a person to feel wounded. There may be some partial truth to what happened but the rest is false. The hurt progresses to resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, and hatred. The person has moved from hurt to hate.

Emotional wounds hurt but they can be healed. Hate toward another is destructive, there’s nothing redemptive about it. It’s the opposite of love. It is rebellion against God, Who is Love. Hate also opens the door to the demonic; it plays right into satan’s hands. It often leads to actions that attempt to tear down, defame, or destroy the offender. Hate perpetuates pain, the very thing that the offended person wants to eliminate. It keeps the pain alive and consumes the person from within. We are not
supposed to hate. It’s not God’s way. Individuals and groups often perpetuate war on others because they will not let go, work through, or give
their pain to the Lord. They generate more pain in the process of hating. They think that they are justified in getting revenge, in making the offender suffer what they have suffered. This is happening all over the world today.

Biblical Examples of Hurt turned to Hate
We have Joseph and his brothers. (Genesis 37:4) “But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.” (Genesis 37:5) “Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.” (Genesis
37:8) “And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” Joseph’s brothers let their hurt over their father favoring Joseph and Joseph’s dreams evolve into hatred and plans to murder him. They sold him into slavery. Of course God used this for good but it is a painful example of how their hurt turned to hate.

There’s Jacob and Esau the twin sons of Isaac described in Genesis 25, 27, 32, 33. Isaac favored Esau and Rebecca favored Jacob. First Esau gives up his birthright for a bowl of soup, then Isaac is tricked into blessing Jacob, his second born, instead of his first born son, Esau. Gen 27:41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” Esau’s hurt and pain from all this turned to hatred and rage toward his brother. Jacob fled for his life and during
the time he was away his mother Rebecca died. Eventually Jacob and his family returned to his homeland and Esau reconciled with him.

Then there’s Absalom and Amnon. (2Sam 13:22) And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because
he had forced his sister Tamar. Two years later Absalom had his half brother murdered. Absalom’s pain and suffering over his sister’s rape turned to hate which led to his revenge two years later. He could have forgiven his brother but he didn’t. I am sure you can list other situations in the Bible where wronged people went from hurt to hate.

Overcoming Hurt
What do you do to overcome hurt? How do you prevent yourself from hating those who grieved you? We all get hurt by people some time in our life and the offenders are usually family and friends, those closest to us. The pain that comes from being wounded by someone you love is deep. The torment of being hurt or seeing someone you love wounded emotionally can be tremendous. It is very hard to let go of the pain.

As Christians, we must remember that no matter what happens to us in this life, it is nothing compared to what Jesus Christ suffered here on earth to save us. He gives us the way through, power to heal, and forgive when we have been grievously wounded emotionally. We have built in us through the Holy Spirit all the tools we will ever need to deal with and resolve troubles in this life. We are overcomers through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. So, when you are hurt by a family member or close friend, or someone you care for very much is hurt. Remember who you are in Christ. Even though the pain is monumental, begin that very moment to purpose in your heart to heal and move through it with the help of God Almighty. Start there before you let yourself fester and obsess over the pain someone has caused you. Allow yourself to feel but don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t fall into a deep depression over your pain. This is extremely hard to do, so don’t beat yourself up if you fail a couple times. Allow God to help you get back on track and move through the pain and hurt. But don’t allow your hurt to turn into hate and lead you into committing more sinful actions in retaliation. God will deal with your offenders. You don’t have to exact vengeance on His behalf. Feel your pain but don’t let it take you to hate. Stay close to God and Godly people who will stand in the gap for you as you heal. This will take time. It is not immediate. If you remain stuck and feel like your pain is turning into hate, you might want to talk to your pastor. You may also need professional Christian counseling to help you move through the healing and restoration
process.

Don’t move away from God in your pain – run to Him. Pour out your heart to Him. You will see that He will not abandon you. He will comfort and heal
you if you let Him. Don’t resist. You must forgive eventually We must be ready to forgive those who trespass against us. Deep healing cannot really
come without forgiveness. And we can only really forgive with God’s help. You will heal. Let God mend your broken heart. He is the Master
Physician. He specializes in healing brokenness.

What does the Bible say about hate?
The word hate is mentioned 83 times in the Bible compared to love which is mentioned 323 times. That’s almost a 4:1 ratio of love over hate in God’s
Word. That alone should tell us something. What does the Bible say about hate? What are we supposed to do when someone hurts us?

Hate:
Lev. 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.

Prov. 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.

Matt. 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies,
bless those who curse you, do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you
and persecute you,

Luke 6:27-28 “But I say to you who hear: Love
your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you.”

Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, un- cleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions,
jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1John.3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Forgive:

Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

John 20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Eph. 4:32 And be kind to one another, tender- hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Col. 3:12-13 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender
mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Matt. 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Eph. 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Healing:
Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.

Psalm 107:20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.

Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and
by His stripes we are healed.

Jeremiah 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.

God Will Heal You
Don’t let your hurt linger or turn to hate. I know life is hard, emotional wounds will come. You must choose to let God heal you. He wants you healed and restored. This life is not accidental. Your hurt will be used to glorify God. Let Him take you through the healing process and bless others with your testimony to His goodness. Forgive your offenders. Release them to God. He will deal with them. Pray for those who have hurt you. I know this is hard, but you must. Don’t give the enemy any ground. Don’t let your hurt evolve into hate. Hate and revenge don’t even the score, they just keep
the pain alive multiplying the miseries. Hate is a cancer that destroys. God’s love overcomes all the hate in the world. Choose to love when you feel like
making your offender hurt. You can’t do this on your own. Let God help and heal you.

THE BLENDED FAMILY

August 30, 2020 by Steve Rossi – The Christian Counselor in Houston, Texas

Second and third marriages are occurring at a phenomenal rate today. Approximately 1300 new step-families (blended families) are formed every day in the U.S. At this rate, by the year 2010 there will be more blended families in the U.S. than any other type of family. About 65% of remarriages involve children from previous marriages. One out of every 6 children under the age of 18 is a step-child. One out of every 3 Americans is now a step-parent, step-child, step-sibling or some member of a step-family. More than half of Americans today have been, or will be, in one or more step-situations during their lives. These unique, ready-made families come together with their own histories and issues to form a complex mixture of challenges. His children, her children, and oftentimes, their children combine to roll three families into one.

Typical comments from blended families include:
• My kids won’t obey their step-father.
• The girls resist their step-mother.
• You’re not my father!
• I don’t have to listen to you.
• There’s too much tension in our new marriage.

Divided loyalties, personality clashes, discipline problems, anger, frustration, confusion, and disappointment consume many blended families. Marital tension increases as conflicts escalate. Blended families can, however, make adjustments, move through the challenging times and enjoy a good family life.

Dynamics and Challenges:
The Blend
Born out of loss, step-families blend together an assortment of different families, personalities, and backgrounds. The merger encompasses everyone’s histories, perceptions, family experiences, unfinished business, and unique needs. These factors combine to create a variety of stresses and strains as the new family struggles to adapt. Oftentimes the parents find themselves struggling hard, trying to make the blend work. For example, one mom desperately wants her child to warm up to and accept her new husband. She tries hard to please both and finds herself in the middle. She feels torn between her dejected, sullen, husband and angry, rejecting child. The stepfather feels defeated because his step-child won’t obey or connect with him. Mother feels responsible and totally worn out, wondering if the marriage was a mistake. Everyone feels like they are on a roller coaster ride of good times and bad times. The more people involved, the greater the pressures. Each individual has specific needs, fears, and concerns. Children often feel like they will be lost and replaced by the blending.

Relationships with Ex-Spouses
The absent parent exerts a strong influence on the blended family. Children carry emotional impressions from bonding with their biological parents. They remember the interactions, fun times and bad times, the joy and hurts in their relationship with the absent parent. A significant source of their identity comes from the absent parent. The things that the absent parent tells his children affect the step-family. Children who rarely or never see their biological parents are still impacted by their own positive and negative feelings, and thoughts of the missing parent. Therefore, it is extremely important that divorced parents strive to keep good, working relationships with their ex-spouses. Good exspouse relationships facilitate healing in the children.

Conflict
Many families try to force everyone to accept one another quickly and develop great relationships. Conflict is a natural part of the blending. Everyone involved had their own unique place, routine, and position in their previous lifestyle. Imagine a jar of water and sand. The sand is settled at the bottom, but when you shake it up the mixture becomes cloudy. This is what happens when the ingredients of two families are thrown together. It takes time for the new mixture to settle. Family photos, trips, vacations, forced time together and discussions about how “we are a new family,” take place. Conflicts, feelings of loss, and regret are normal in blended families.

Premarriage Expectations
Many couples preparing to blend their families have the following unrealistic expectations:
•Everyone will experience the same overwhelming love and affection that we feel for one another.
•Our new family will be better than our previous families.
•We won’t ever have to deal with the same conflicts and hurts again…we will do it right.
•Our children will be as happy as we are about their new family.
•Discipline will not be a problem. A firm, tough approach will prevail against any defiance of the rules.

Building A Solid Blended Family
Husband/Wife Relationship
A solid blended family begins with a strong marital relationship and commitment to weather the storms of step-family life. The husband and wife must stand together against the pull to fragment the family. First, they need to develop trust. They are the pillars for the entire family. The quality of their relationship makes all the difference. They need to strengthen their bond. They should go out to dinner, the movies, and special outings alone, away from the children. They must understand step-family issues and learn conflict resolution. Conflict and chaos will occur as the children compete for attention and try to dissolve the family. A solid spiritual base for both husband and wife fortifies their marriage relationship. A marriage based on God enables parents to draw from His strength and principles for rearing healthy children. Parents should seize every opportunity to learn more effective ways to grow their step-family.

Step-parent /Child Relationship
Step-parents should develop relationships with their step-children slowly. Relationships take time to develop. They should move gradually from being on the sidelines to taking a supportive role, rather than jumping right in as chief disciplinarian. Step-parents can expect tension, anger, frustration, setbacks, and difficulty in establishing bonds with step children. Some relationships are easier than others, depending on the children’s postdivorce adjustment, their relationship with their biological parents, and the amount of pain or emotional baggage they carry from their first family. The non-custodial parent can do much to help their children connect with the step-parents. They can encourage them to develop friendships with their step-parents and assure them, that by doing so, they will not lose their original parents. Non-custodial parents can also help their children with the transition by interacting positively with their children’s step-parents.

The Blended Family Unit:
Meshing Together
When two families come together, there are bound to be disagreements, conflict and dissension. Everyone struggles to establish their own place sense of identity and. The merging together evokes feelings of loss. Instability, anxiety, and insecurity prevail. Children and parents experience insecurity in the meshing together of their families. The new unit takes time to adjust and settle in. Step-parents should take on disciplinary roles very slowly. Brief family meetings are recommended to discuss issues, and increase communication and understanding among everyone. Tolerance and flexibility are key. Meshing takes time and does not happen along a straight line. There will be ups and downs. Step-families should also move slowly in combining traditions and rituals.

The Future …
Blended family life can be good. Loving relationships and healing can take place. All step-families pass through trials and tribulations. The process usually presents incredible challenges, but remember, through great challenges come great victories. Blended families can promote a legacy of generational healing and blessings for its members.

References for the statistics on blended families come from Visher and Visher (1997), Larson (1992), and Deal (1998).

Suffering

June 14, 2020 by Steve Rossi – The Christian Counselor in Houston, Texas

Everyone suffers. It’s unavoidable in this world. Parents lose children. Parents die young. Divorce tears families apart. People live with terrible addictions and diseases. We pray for healing and people die painfully. Many live with the trauma of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Betrayal, abandonment and misery caused by spouses, loved ones, and friends continues. People are persecuted, tortured, and martyred for their faith. Hatred and prejudice prevail. Holocausts bring horrible pain, suffering and sorrows. Suffering goes on and on. It seems endless in this world. Suffering is one of the greatest mysteries of all. Many great thinkers, philosophers, and religious people have tried to address this issue. Why is there suffering? Why do righteous people suffer? What is the cause, meaning and purpose of suffering? What are we supposed to do with it? How do we live victoriously with suffering as Christians?

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Answers. We don’t have to live in discouragement and despair with the sorrows this life brings. We don’t have to remain in our grief and sorrows; overcome and defeated by them. There are answers. Now. The complete mystery of suffering will eventually be revealed and understood when we meet God face to face. We have more than enough to go on, living this life with freedom, hope, humility, power, and love – no matter what! The God of the Bible is the Creator of Heaven, Earth, and mankind. God is Perfect, Purposeful, and Sovereign. Nothing is a mystery to Him. God is Love and He is Good. God did not create us without a plan for our lives. He knew life in this world would involve suffering after the fall – when sin entered the human race. God clearly lays out His existence, involvement, and plans for humanity in His Word, the Bible. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to redeem us from eternal death. Jesus came to earth, lived, taught, healed, died, and was resurrected. He will return. Jesus promised us trouble in this life (John 16:33) and offered us assurance that we can live this life as over comers – no matter what. We know “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) So, suffering happens because we live in a fallen world and God is sovereign. He knows all about suffering, He allows and uses it for His Higher purposes. Those two answers don’t seem to be enough to ease the terrible pain of suffering. Something’s missing. They are true and make sense, but there must be more. The Lord could have set up the whole human race without suffering from start to finish in this life, but He didn’t. Why not? Why did He allow the possibility of suffering from the beginning? Now we are getting deeper. He gave man the choice to love and obey Him or not from the beginning. We are not puppets. So He created Adam and Eve knowing they would not chose wisely. They would chose sin. They would chose self. Free choice enters the picture as another partial answer for suffering. But there is more, so much more. Could God have woven, creation, choice, sin, suffering, salvation, and sanctification into His Master Plan? Does God use suffering to teach us Agape Love? We shall see.

Job

The Book of Job addresses the question of why righteous men suffer. It demonstrates God’s sovereignty and the meaning of faith. It’s divided into five parts. Job is tested (Chapters 1:1- 2:13); Three friends answer Job (Chapters 3:1- 31:40); A young man answers Job (Chapters 32:1-37:24); God answers Job (Chapters 38:1-41:34) and Job is restored. (Chapters 42:1-17) Job, a wealthy upright man loses all his possessions, his children, and his health. Job was deeply disturbed over the meaning of his suffering. He defended his integrity to his friends who asserted he must have sinned to suffer like that. Job hated his hardships but accepted them, he never blamed God. Remember what he said when his wife looked at his pitiful condition and told him to curse God and die? “But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10) Job was an amazing man of God. Job did the following when he was told all his children were dead: Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: “ Naked I came from my mother‟s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Can you imagine that? This man loses everything, he worships God and does not blame the Lord for his calamites! The Bible says in Job 1:22, that “In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job’s rock solid faith also came out in Chapter 13 verse 15 when he said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.” What are we supposed to learn about suffering from the book of Job? First, we see a man of God who trusts God and accepts adversity even though he does not understand it. We know that there must be an explanation for suffering but we may not get the reasons here on earth. We must always be ready for suffering. Job teaches us that understanding the cause of suffering is less important than knowing God and trusting Him in our reaction to suffering. We also learn a few things about Satan in the book of Job. The devil is accountable to God. All angelic beings must present themselves before God. God knows the devil’s intentions. He knew that Satan wanted Job. Satan is not omnipresent. He can only be at one place at a time. Satan is a created being who cannot read our minds or predict our future. Otherwise the devil would have seen that Job would not renounce God. Satan cannot do anything without God’s permission. God restricts the devil. God will only let him go so far. Job’s friends were not much help. The young man did better than the others in trying to explain things and comfort Job, but was still off base. God never tells Job that his troubles came because He let Satan test Job’s faith. He answers Job with questions about the Lord’s Creation and where was Job when God did these marvelous things. God is sovereign. He does what He wants, when He wants, for His own reasons. This may seem cold and harsh but we must trust that God’s Purposes are always good, no matter what. God is Love. (1John 4:8)

The Suffering Servant

Jesus knows all about suffering. Isaiah 52:13-53: 12 prophesied and described the Suffering Servant. And He came. The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) address the birth, life, purpose, message, miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. The Messianic prophecies were fulfilled. Jesus suffered as the blood atonement for our sins. We serve a God who understands human suffering! The Chief Sufferer of all time! The God-Man suffered for us. He was perfect and righteous. The Passover Lamb without blemish. Jesus is the embodiment of all suffering. Our Savior suffered more than we will ever suffer. He bore the sins of the world, He became sin for us! He is our definition and example of suffering. He endured the cross for the supreme purpose of saving our souls. He is also the supreme definition of unconditional love, Agape Love. We should always keep Jesus in mind when we try to understand the mystery of suffering. We see the God-Man suffer for a purpose. We see how He did it and why. Suffering is built into God’s Ultimate Plan for us. He suffered to save us. We become more like Him through our sufferings. The Suffering Servant gives us instructions on how to 3 live a victorious life full of heartache pain, sorrows and suffering.

The Christian Life and Suffering

We must embrace suffering as Christians. We suffer on many levels. Suffering comes from external and internal sources. It results from things people do to us and from our own choices. The common denominator is sin. Both external and internal sinful choices and behaviors produce suffering. We suffer with and for God. Suffering with God involves living in a fallen world where internal and external sources precipitate the suffering. Jesus completed His suffering here on earth but He is touched by our hardships. He feels our pain, thus He suffers with us. The more we live out our lives as Christians the more we understand the sufferings with Christ. We identify with our Savior. He suffered, we suffer. We suffer because He suffered. John 15:18 says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. Paul eloquently describes this hunger for Christ, being identified with Him and striving for deeper intimacy with Him: “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Phil. 3:10) The more suffering we experience, the more Christ-like we become. Suffering for God involves persecution. Suffering in this world makes us more Christ-like. There’s no way out but through. As we embrace suffering in this world, we embrace Christ! It’s God’s Plan. We should always believe God for healing. He is still in the healing business. Pray believing that God is able and willing to heal you or someone else. Pray to the end if need be, believing God for a miraculous healing. Sometimes God does not heal people. They suffer. The physical and emotional pain lingers. People die even though Believers prayed for healing. Does that mean the afflicted ones or praying Believers didn’t have enough faith? Certainly not. The most devout Believers suffer illnesses to the end. They are not second class Christians. Paul Billhemier’s book “Don’t Waste Your Sorrows” 1 is the best book I ever read on this subject. He covers this difficult topic extremely well, offering a powerfully fresh explanation on the purpose for suffering and challenges us not to waste our sorrows. Billheimer says, “Must one who is not healed suffer with a sense of spiritual inferiority and the disappointing suspicion that he can have only God’s second best while a select minority who are healed and blessed with affluence pass as “God’s chosen few.” Or is it possible for the great majority who remain financially limited or physically afflicted to make as great a contribution to the kingdom and bring as much joy to the heart of God and win as great an eternal reward as those who are favored with supernatural deliverance here and now?”2 We will look at this more in the next section. Let’s go back to Job for a moment. Job defended His righteousness before his friends but not before God. God begins talking in Job Chapter 38. He goes on for a while asking Job all kinds of questions. Then in Chapter 40, God says, ” “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” (Job 40:2) Job responds and says “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” (Job 40:4- 5) Then God challenges Job again in the same chapter, verse 7, saying “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: God speaks again for another two chapters before Job repents, saying “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, „Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, „I will question you, and you shall answer Me.‟ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.” Basically Job gets the sovereignty of God, he relents and repents. Even though Job did not sin to cause his sufferings, I believe he took his defense proclamation of innocence and righteousness too far. He knew he was righteous and questioned why this happened? Is it wrong to vent our anger, frustration and sadness to God? We must always remember God is Good and that He is sovereign. We must not remain stuck in our anger and sorrows. God understands our sufferings, sorrows, and anger. Don’t go too far and too long in holding hard feelings toward God about your sufferings. He loves you and will not punish you for verbalizing your feelings toward Him about your situation. Just don’t linger there. It’s counterproductive. He can handle your anger, but He does not want you to let 4 the sun go down on it.

Endurance, Blessing, Restoration Going Deeper

Suffering brings the greatest opportunities to know Jesus Christ. To grow and mature as Believers. Nothing compares to the character building and rewards that Christians receive when they endure the sufferings of this life through Christ! God uses suffering to mature saints. He trains us through suffering. There is no greater way to overcome the self than through suffering. Paul Billheimer emphasizes this point: “Because tribulation is necessary for the decentralization of self and the development of deep dimensions of agape love, this love can be developed only in the school of suffering. It grows and develops only by exercise and testing. This may explain the relationship between sainthood and suffering by showing why there is no sainthood without suffering.”3 “All born-again people are training for rulership. Since the supreme law of that future social order, called the kingdom of God, is agape love, therefore their apprenticeship and training is for the learning of deep dimensions of love. But dimensions of this love are only learned in the school of suffering. Even after the new birth and filling with the Holy Spirit, which are only beginning experiences, greater dimensions of this love are developed only by exercise and testing. Purity is one thing and maturity is another. The latter comes only through years of suffering. “If we suffer, we will also reign” – because where there is little suffering, there is little love; no suffering, no love; no love, no rulership.”4 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Our afflictions are temporary and are abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory. Nothing compares to what’s ahead and results from our fleeting sufferings in this world. Glory!5 Christians suffer debilitating, catastrophic losses, sorrow, and pain. Many seek healing and it does not come. They sink into self-pity, depression, and hopelessness. Billheimer contends that remaining in discouragement, resentment and defeat is a “wasting of their sorrows.”6 How many times have you met troubles and sorrows in this life and held on too long, to the point of bitterness, resentment, depression and sorrow. It’s perfectly acceptable to grieve the losses and react with shock, anger, frustration and sadness over tragedies, disappointments and betrayals. God understands. He does not want you and I to remain immobilized, stuck, slaves to pain and suffering. He does not want us to waste our sorrows. He wants us to seek, trust and abide in Him. He wants you to bring yourself and your suffering to Him. Let Him. The Invisible God is our Creator and Lord of the Universe. All that is visible comes from Him. He is Invisible and Eternal. All that we see (the visible) is passing away; this life and our pain. God’s invisible glorious kingdom will never perish. We must look to the Invisible God, the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. We must see, trust, and experience Him through the eyes of our faith in Him, no matter what! Saints throughout the Bible did. Saints throughout all history have. For example, take Moses: “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27). He saw past his pain and circumstances. There are many examples of faith in Hebrews, Chapter 11. Jesus is the ultimate example of faith. In fact, Jesus takes this whole issue of suffering to the highest level. We see this in Hebrews 12:2: “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This is powerful! Jesus looked into the future, past the horrible suffering he would and did face. He looked at the future glorious results of His suffering – Salvation for all! We should do the same. The joy set before us, the invisible results from our real invisible God, can be seen through the eyes of our faith. The joy comes from seeing the results of our suffering. We believe and see by faith the Eternal Glory to Christ, and our Eternal rewards. We reap deeper intimacy, more agape love, and God’s holiness perfected in us!

Epilogue

Are you suffering today? Have you been immobilized in your sadness and sorrows for so long? Do you feel numb and ineffective as a Christian? You want to move forward, but every time you try, the memories and pain related to your loss overwhelm you. Are you wasting your sorrows? I am not minimizing the suffering and pain you are going through today. I want to come along side you and help you go deeper in your understanding about suffering. I want you to lean into Christ and let Him comfort and restore you to complete wholeness. Let Him perfect you. Let Him bless you into blessing others who are suffering. He wants you to use your sufferings to help others. He does not want you to miss out on your eternal rewards for enduring your cross set before you. Pour out your heart to Jesus Christ! Seek Him daily. Let Him decentralize the self within you. Abide in His Glorious Love. Eat and drink His Word Daily. Let your suffering produce a hunger for Him that never stops. He will fill you with His “Living Water” You will be satisfied for awhile, then you will thirst again. We go from filling to filling as we hunger for the Lord. Filled but wanting more. He will give you more of Him each time. Keep knocking. Keep asking. Go deeper. You will find as you go through this process that your suffering has shown you His agape love, every time. Don’t give up, don’t waste your sorrows. Use them. Your testimony on suffering through Christ will draw many to Him. Your life wrapped in His agape love will produce amazing results!

Bibliography

1. Don’t Waste Your Sorrows, 1977, Bethany House Publications , CLC Publications. 2. Don’t Waste Your Sorrows, 1977, Bethany House Publications , CLC Publications. Pg.21. 3. Don’t Waste Your Sorrows, 1977, Bethany House Publications , CLC Publications. Pg.10 4. Don’t Waste Your Sorrows, 1977, Bethany House Publications , CLC Publications. Pg. 10 5. Don’t Waste Your Sorrows, 1977, Bethany House Publications , CLC Publications. Pg. 50 F.Y.I

Strength – Comfort – Encouragement – and Promises from God – Scriptures

May 3, 2020 by Steve Rossi – The Christian Counselor in Houston, Texas

I have drawn considerable strength, comfort, and encouragement from these Scriptures over the past three decades. I pray that they encourage and bless you through the best and most difficult times in your life.

Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in Whom I trust.”

He will cover you with His feathers,

and under His wings you will find refuge;

His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For He will command His angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

“Because He loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.

He will call on Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

Romans 8

31 If God is for us, who can be against us?

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or

hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him

who loved us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor

demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither

height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate

us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Additional verses in perilous times:

Comfort and Strength

Exodus 15:2

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;

He has become my salvation.

He is my God, and I will praise Him,

my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Exodus 33:14

14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Deuteronomy 31:8

8 The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave

you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 33:27

The eternal God is your refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

He will drive out your enemies before you,

saying, ‘Destroy them!’

Joshua 1:9

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;

do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

1 Chronicles 16:11

Look to the Lord and His strength;

seek His face always.

2 Chronicles 20:20

20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem!

Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets

and you will be successful.”

Psalm 2:12

Kiss His Son, or He will be angry

and your way will lead to your destruction,

for His wrath can flare up in a moment.

Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

Psalm 3:3

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,

my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

Psalm 4:8

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

for You alone, Lord,

make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 5:3

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before You

and wait expectantly.

Psalm 9:10

Those who know Your name trust in You,

for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm 16:8

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.

With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:28

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;

my God turns my darkness into light.

Psalm 18:32

It is God who arms me with strength

and keeps my way secure.

Psalm 18:35

You make Your saving help my shield,

and Your right hand sustains me;

Your help has made me great.

Psalm 23:2

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

Psalm 23:6

Surely Your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Psalm 25:1-2

In You, Lord my God,

I put my trust.

I trust in You;

do not let me be put to shame,

Psalm 25:5

Guide me in Your truth and teach me,

for You are God my Savior,

and my hope is in You all day long.

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 28:6

Praise be to the Lord,

for He has heard my cry for mercy.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise Him.

Psalm 29:11

The Lord gives strength to His people;

the Lord blesses His people with peace.

Psalm 30:2

Lord my God, I called to You for help,

and You healed me.

Psalm 30:7

Lord, when You favored me,

You made my royal mountain stand firm;

but when You hid your face,

I was dismayed.

Psalm 31:3

Since You are my rock and my fortress,

for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.

Psalm 32:7

You are my hiding place;

You will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:10

Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the Lord’s unfailing love

surrounds the one who trusts in Him.

Psalm 33:5

The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of His unfailing love.

Psalm 33:18

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,

on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,

Psalm 34:4

I sought the Lord, and He answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 37:7

Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:34

Hope in the Lord

and keep His way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

Psalm 37:39

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;

He is their stronghold in time of trouble.

Psalm 46:1

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 48:14

For this God is our God for ever and ever;

He will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 55:23

But you, God, will bring down the wicked

into the pit of decay;

the bloodthirsty and deceitful

will not live out half their days.

But as for me, I trust in You.

Psalm 56:11

in God I trust and am not afraid.

What can man do to me?

Psalm 59:9

You are my strength, I watch for You;

You, God, are my fortress,

Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of Your strength,

in the morning I will sing of Your love;

for You are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 61:2

From the ends of the earth I call to You,

I call as my heart grows faint;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 62:1

Truly my soul finds rest in God;

my salvation comes from Him.

Psalm 62:2

Truly He is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62:5

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from Him.

Psalm 62:6-7

Truly He is my rock and my salvation;

He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

He is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Psalm 63:8

I cling to you;

Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 68:19

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,

Who daily bears our burdens.

Psalm 68:20

Our God is a God Who saves;

from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

Psalm 70:5

But as for me, I am poor and needy;

come quickly to me, O God.

You are my help and my deliverer;

Lord, do not delay.

Psalm 71:14

As for me, I will always have hope;

I will praise You more and more.

Psalm 71:16

I will come and proclaim Your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;

I will proclaim Your righteous deeds, Yours alone.

Psalm 71:20

Though You have made me see troubles,

many and bitter,

You will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth

You will again bring me up.

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

Psalm 86:7

When I am in distress, I call to You,

because You answer me.

Psalm 86:17

Give me a sign of Your goodness,

that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,

for You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 91:1

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:2

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:9-11

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For He will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

Psalm 94:19

When anxiety was great within me,

Your consolation brought me joy.

Psalm 103:2-4

Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all His benefits—

Who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

Psalm 105:4

Look to the Lord and His strength;

seek His face always.

Psalm 112:7

They will have no fear of bad news;

their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Psalm 112:8

Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;

in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

Psalm 116:8

For You, Lord, have delivered me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling,

Psalm 117:2

For great is His love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Psalm 118:6

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 118:5

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;

He brought me into a spacious place.

Psalm 118:14

The Lord is my strength and my defense;

He has become my salvation.

Psalm 119:50

My comfort in my suffering is this:

Your promise preserves my life.

Psalm 119:143

143

Trouble and distress have come upon me,

but Your commands give me delight.

Psalm 119:154

154

Defend my cause and redeem me;

preserve my life according to Your promise.

Psalm 121:2

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 126:5

Those who sow with tears

will reap with songs of joy.

Psalm 138:7

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

You preserve my life.

You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes;

with Your right hand You save me.

Psalm 144:15

Blessed is the people of whom this is true;

blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

Proverbs 30:5

“Every word of God is flawless;

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

Isaiah 8:17

I will wait for the Lord,

Who is hiding His face from the descendants of Jacob.

I will put my trust in Him.

Isaiah 12:2

Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense;

He has become my salvation.”

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace

those whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in You.

Isaiah 30:15

15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength,

but you would have none of it.

Isaiah 33:2

Lord, be gracious to us;

we long for You.

Be our strength every morning,

our salvation in time of distress.

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:1-3

But now, this is what the Lord says———

He who created you, Jacob,

He who formed you, Israel:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I give Egypt for your ransom,

Cush and Seba in your stead.

Isaiah 43:5

Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

I will bring your children from the east

and gather you from the west.

Isaiah 46:4

Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am He, I am He Who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 49:15

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget,

I will not forget you!

Isaiah 49:23

Kings will be your foster fathers,

and their queens your nursing mothers.

They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground;

they will lick the dust at your feet.

Then you will know that I am the Lord;

those who hope in Me will not be disappointed.”

Isaiah 53:1

53

Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Isaiah 54:10

Though the mountains be shaken

and the hills be removed,

yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken

nor My covenant of peace be removed,”

says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 58:11

The Lord will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Daniel 3:17

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to

deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

Joel 2:25

“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—

the great locust and the young locust,

the other locusts and the locust swarm –

My great army that I sent among you.

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper

you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:13

13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 30:17

But I will restore you to health

and heal your wounds,’

declares the Lord,

‘because you are called an outcast,

Zion for whom no one cares.’

Habakkuk 3:19

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

He enables me to tread on the heights.

Matthew 6:25-34

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 11:28

28 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Mark 5:36

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Luke 1:37

37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

Luke 12:24

24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

John 14:1

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:6

6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 15:13

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:9

9 God is faithful, Who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our

Lord.

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, Who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

2 Corinthians 4:8-12

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

2 Corinthians 5:7

7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 12:9

9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Philippians 4:6

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:12

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:19

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

2 Timothy 1:7

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Hebrews 12:2

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 4:7

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.

1 Peter 5:7

7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Peter 5:10

10 And the God of all grace, Who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

2 Peter 1:3

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Dealing with the Coronavirus As Believers and Followers of Jesus Christ

April 19, 2020 by Steve Rossi – The Christian Counselor in Houston, Texas

April 16, 2020

We are all having to deal with the Coronavirus. Most of the people in the World, at least in the U.S. are sequestered and dealing with this COVID – 19. Sometimes I call it The Plague. This thing came into prominence as far as our country, about 7 weeks ago, the middle of March. Our country has pretty much been on lockdown for the past 2 weeks. We are all homebound. People that do go out have masks and gloves on. I have never seen anything like this in my lifetime. The worldwide deaths and in our country are beginning to slow down and the hospitials are not as full. There is still a lot of fear, stress, and uncertainty.

I pray that this post will uplift and encourage you to stay close to the Lord. I will offer many scriptures at the end. These scriptures have strengthened and comforted me throughout the years and definitely apply right now.

There is a lot of emotional and financial stress right now with job layoffs, disruption, confinement, and isolation. This doesn’t mean that all the problems we had before Coronavirus stopped, whatever they were, whether they were emotional, fiancial, or relational. They have been magnified by this invisible enemy. So, we are doing the social distancing. Some of you many even know someone who has the virus. What do we do as believers and followers of Jesus Christ?

This is what we do:

We are in a war here against and “invisible enemy”, we are in a battle, and the Lord is watching us, the world is watching us, and this is an opportunity even though it is an incredibly stressful time.

We are to trust God no matter what. He really is in Control. This is not just a cliche’ or a worn out saying. He knows, He sees, this is not a suprise to Him, and so it will be used to His glory. He uses every tragedy, because He cannot be defeated, we know that.

We pray.

We do not succumb to fear.

We take the necessary precautions. Follow the Rules.

We trust Father God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the originator of our souls, our Glorious Creator. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We also trust His Son, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Our Savior and Redeemer.

We use this time to draw closer to God and to others with the Word, our lives, as the world looks on at us.

Here is some encouragement for us, for believers during these perlious times. There is nothing more powerful in times like this than His Word.

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge; and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

Romans 8

31 If God is for us, who can be against us?

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who love us.

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither height, nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Take the precautions, huddle up with family, do the social distancing, and all that, but believe that God is in Control. This pandemic will pass and there will be more tribulations and trials in this world to come. But remember “If God is for us who can be against us.” The who can be against us means any and everything.

God Bless and Protect you!

Comfort and Strength During These Times

Scriptures in Dealing with the Coronavirus as Believers and Followers of Jesus Christ