Facing Difficult Days in Our Country

                                 By Charles F. Stanley

God’s Word is a stabilizer in our lives. Within its pages we find comfort, strength, and guidance for every situation in life. But if we choose to live without the Bible, we won’t have the assurance of God’s promises to help us through hard times.

These are some of the most difficult days we have ever faced in our country. We’ve lost our oneness, stability, strength, and care for one another. Now our nation is suffering from uncertainty, uneasiness, conflict, and distrust. If ever we needed to rely on Scripture, it’s today. Such times should lead us to cry out to God, asking Him for the wisdom, courage, and obedience to do what’s right.

David was familiar with difficult situations, and through them all, he learned to trust the Lord. When he faced Goliath, his confidence was not in himself but in the faithfulness of his God. And when King Saul became jealous of David and tried on several occasions to kill him, David fled for his life, hiding out in the wilderness. Psalm 11 gives us a glimpse into David’s heart at a time when his world was falling apart. His main question is found in verse 3. “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

When everything is crumbling beneath us, we must remember that God’s Word is our true foundation. No matter what we face, Scripture assures us that we are children of God, and He promises to see us through it. This doesn’t mean we won’t experience suffering or disappointment, but the Lord walks with us every step of the way. His Word is our compass and guidebook for every hardship, heartache, and problem. As long as we follow His instructions, we will be able to face every situation.

David likened the foundation of a nation to that of a building. If a house is to last, it must be built on a strong foundation. Otherwise, it will begin to crumble, and the house will fall. In the same way, a nation whose foundation is weak cannot endure. A strong national foundation consists of law and order, justice, truth, morality, decency, integrity, fairness, and trustworthiness. When these are abandoned, the foundation begins to crumble, and the nation is in danger of collapsing.

How should we respond if the foundations are destroyed? Like David, we can choose to say, “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1). This means we place our confidence in God and become attentive to His voice. He has given us unshakeable, absolute truth in His Word. When we place our trust in what He’s said, we will receive stability and direction for our lives.

David also said, “How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain’” (v. 1). Instead of trying to run away from our difficulties, we should run to God. He’s all-powerful and knows all our struggles and needs. There is no stronger or safer refuge than almighty God. He loves us and intends for us to stand strong, firm, and true in the midst of hardship, suffering, and loss, knowing that He is trustworthy. The foundations of our physical world may crumble, and we could lose every possession we own, but even then the Lord is sufficient to carry us through.

When the foundations begin to crumble, whether personally or nationally, do you turn to God and His Word? When we stop and first decide to trust God and His Word, it will have a profound impact on our emotions, thoughts, and reactions—for He will give us the strength, courage, and faith to stand strong for Him, and He will bless our faithfulness.