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What To Do in Difficult Times
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How many times have difficult situations, storms, chill winds, and fiery trials arisen in your life? All have walked through times like these, because they are part of life on this planet. How we react to the difficulties reveals our character and our faith.
John 6
58 “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Does this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Everyone has experienced those times when our friends or family desert or shun us because of the Word of God, even to the point of turning away, as many of Jesus’ disciples did in this passage from John 6.
Jesus had just multiplied the five small barley loaves and two small fish to feed the five thousand men, not counting women and children. He had just walked on the water to join the disciples in the boat during a storm. Now, as He began to teach the disciples who had witnessed these miracles, He spoke words of truth that were difficult for them to hear. He spoke of Himself as the true manna which came down from God, and Jesus began to reveal to them that salvation comes only by the cleansing of sin by His Blood.
The Scripture says that many of His disciples, not the twelve, said, “This is a hard saying. Who can hear it, or who can believe these words?” From that time, many turned away from Jesus and walked no more with Him.
Jesus turned to the twelve disciples and asked them, “Will you also go away?”
Peter answered Jesus’ question with words that speak to the difficulties of life that we, as Christians, and as human beings, experience from time to time. Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” The answer that Peter gave applies in all difficult situations, in every storm of life.
Peter didn’t understand the hard saying any more than the ones who turned back, because He didn’t understand that Jesus would rise from the dead on the third day, until after the Resurrection. But, Peter knew Who was speaking, and his faith and trust in that One was unshakeable.
In good or difficult times, the only thing to do is to place your hand in the nail-scarred hand of Jesus. There is no better place to go. Neither is there any other safe haven. He will never leave you or forsake you.
One of the beautiful things about Jesus is that He gives makeup tests. On the night before the Crucifixion, Peter, who had shown such strong faith in his Lord, denied that same Holy One, before the maid, while warming by the fire. Later, after Peter repented with bitter tears, Jesus gave Peter his makeup test. This time he passed it. He grasped the nail-scarred hand of Jesus.
Held in His Hand with You,
Betty Seiley
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