In our crazy upside-down world troubles abound not only in our society but also in our personal lives. The familiar hymn, ‘O love that will not let me go,’ was composed by the 19th century Scottish hymn writer, George Matheson, who went completely blind at the age of twenty. Upon learning that his blindness was irreversible, his fiancée told him she could not go through life with a blind man. Some years later, still distraught over this heartbreak, he wrote the hymn in five minutes, The third stanza expresses hope through times of trouble, “O joy that seeketh me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain. And feel the promise is not in vain, that morn shall tearless be.” 


Troubles are part of life. Jesus faced trouble and so did the apostles, David, and all the people of God. In Psalm 71:19-24 the psalmist describes his troubles as numerous and serious. He then gives us a model of how to respond in such circumstances:


-Keep trusting God in the midst of troubles. “Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee?” (v.19)


-Keep hoping, knowing that our troubles will not last forever and that God will use troubles to shape our character through them. “And shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.” (v.v. 20b-21)


We sometimes think of the early church as if they were without any problems. Acts 6, however, gives a picture of some of the problems the early church faced. In v.1 the apostles were confronted with complaining of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The apostles dealt with the issue by setting aside a group of people to serve tables. Like then, the church’s spiritual leaders of today need to stay focused on the ministry of the Word and designate and release others into their God-given gifts and ministries in order to maintain unity and harmony.


In v.12 we read of a group of opponents of the church who stirred up the people and disputed the preaching of Stephen. They brought him before the council, “And set up false witnesses, which said, this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law” (v.13). Even though they twisted his words, Stephen gave his defense (Acts 7) by reciting the history of the people of God and used Joseph as an example of how God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. Stephen’s earthly troubles came to an end in martyrdom and was rescued into God’s kingdom because of his unwavering love and obedience to Christ.


We do not need to look for troubles; they seem to find us. God has no problem with our disappointment or even asking him, ‘why’ when we encounter troubles. But, as believers, we have no business of ever being discouraged to the point of hopelessness. In the midst of trouble, we need to keep trusting God that He will use our troubles for good and claim his promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. Remember, troubles do not have the last word.