I don't know about you, but when I'm facing trials in my life, my thoughts don't jump directly to passages of scripture. When I am in need of comfort I don't curl up and open my Bible - at least, I didn't use to.
Recently though, when anxiety overtakes me, or when I find myself in particular need of solace, I find that I turn to some of my favorite passages of the Bible. I have marked them so as to more easily find them when I need them.
I started doing this right before AP Exams last spring when my stress levels are were particularly high. I had never taken an exam of this magnitude before, and I felt the pressure of doing well like a physical weight on my shoulders and back.
The night before my first exam, I cracked.
Huddled in a ball under the covers and tears coating my cheeks, I cried out to God and begged Him to take the stress away, to let this exam be easy. I fell asleep, exhausted and little comforted.
The next morning dawned, and my anxiety had not lessened. In actuality, it seemed to have gotten worse. Butterflies from the night before turned to tornadoes as nausea clouded my mind. I needed something to calm myself down - and a one-sided conversation with God wasn't cutting it. I quickly Google-searched for verses that helped with dealing with anxiety. There, I found what is now one of my favorite verses: Psa 34:4 - I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
I must have read that verse 10 or 11 times before my test that day - and the entirety of Psa 34, because it's just as applicable, maybe 4 or 5!
Now, I find myself turning to Psalm 34 whenever I am anxious or unsure of God’s Plan for me. It calms me and reminds me that God is in control.
I found that a chapter or small set of verses per generic situation really helped me, and now I have a couple different types of passages marked in my Bible for easy reference - anger, betrayal, impatience, stubbornness and fear, to name a few.
I discovered during those AP exams that prayer alone might not get you through your times of trial. Scripture is God’s direct words written down for our use, and I, at least, need to remember that. When we need His direction in our life, we can't expect God to do all the work. He has given us His book, and we need to use it.
The Bible is our greatest asset in our Walk in the Truth, and I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm in over my head in a situation, simply opening up my Bible for a reading or two isn't my go to solution. It should be, but it isn't.
As Paul says in 2 Tim 3:16-17, All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Our Bibles are God’s words trying to influence our lives and are the first answers to our prayers in times of difficulty.
So next time you're faced with a difficult situation, try it. Try opening your Bible to a verse that seems to speak to your situation and see what it can tell you. You might be surprised to find that is more helpful then you would initially think. I can almost guarantee that it'll be - at least in part - an answer to your prayers.
In the Hope of Israel,
Mikaelah B
"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10
Truly inspiring
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