Comfort in Affliction

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My Firm Foundation

Hannah Stewart
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Someone I know recently said to me, “You have been going through a lot of really difficult things. What keeps you going?” The only answer I had for her was, “God.” Over the course of my life I have been through battles with overwhelming anxiety, severe depression, and more recently chronic illness and pain that has left me disabled. Through everything, it has been God’s strength that has kept me going. This close relationship that I have with God is possible because of Jesus’ payment for my sins.

The Firm Foundation

This past weekend Christians around the world celebrated Easter, a time when we remember Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Before Jesus’ death about 2,000 years ago, sin (the wrong things we do), separated us from God (Who is perfect and without sin) and required animal sacrifice to make amends. Without sacrifice, people were not able to have a relationship with God, and when they died, they faced eternity in hell. God had a plan though; He loves us and He wanted us to have freedom from sin and no longer need to depend on animal sacrifice to be close to Him. So God the Father sent Jesus, who is God the Son and the second person of the Trinity, to live with us as a man. John 3:16-17 says,

“‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” 1

Jesus did not sin, and because of this He was able to pay for the sins of everyone in the past, present, and future through His death. But it does not end there. Jesus’ death was only part of God’s plan; the next part was God raising Jesus from the dead. This is something that only God can do, and He did it to prove that Jesus’ death had in fact paid the full cost of sin forever. As 1 Corinthians 15:17 says,

“…if Christ [Jesus] has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” 2

Jesus’ resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith. Everything recorded in Scripture afterwards hinges on Jesus coming back to life. It was predicted before Jesus’ birth (Psalm 16), Jesus Himself promised that He would (Matthew 20:18-19; Luke 18:33; John 2:19-22), and He did (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20-21)! In light of this, Romans 10:9-10 says,

“… if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” 3

If you have not believed in Jesus, I encourage you to do so. He is worth it! He never changes, always fulfills His promises, and loves us more than anyone else ever could. He willingly suffered an excruciating death because of His love for us! When you believe in Jesus, you are given a free gift: a relationship with God, eternal life in heaven, and the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) to live inside you and help you live a godly life on earth.

“In Him [Jesus], you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13 4

It is the Holy Spirit within me that every day gives me strength, hope, and courage to continue on. This does not mean that it is easy, but when I rely on God, He gives me what I need for the day. Sometimes that means peace when I start experiencing a new symptom and my mind wants to jump to the worst possible cause. Other times it is strength to push through another day of high pain levels. Whatever the situation, God has been faithful. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30,

“‘Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 5

This is my firm foundation. Not doctors, or medications, or mantras, but the God Who loves, provides for, and sustains me, from the inside out! May you experience His peace and rest today.

  1. New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation ↩︎
  2. New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation ↩︎
  3. New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation ↩︎
  4. New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation ↩︎
  5. New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation ↩︎

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