Faith and Trust While Suffering

Just watched a very powerful sermon on faith, trust, and suffering. It's called When Sparrows Fall by Britt Merrick. He has a very real reason to speak on the topics and diligently tells his of struggling with God as his 8 year old daughter battle her fourth diagnosis of cancer. His sermon above is given from a heart of transformation as he walked the viewer through Matt. 10 and how to view our life's trials. I love that he isn't clique, actually quite the opposite, he's very real and powerful with his words. If you decided to watch the video be prepared to shed some tears- it's a dozy. If you're a note taker- have lots of paper ready. I took almost 5 pages of notes and had to pause the video multiple times to get some very good ideas he shared recorded (included below).

Some of the life changing elements Britt shares is that often times when faced with tragedy and suffering we ask the "why" question. In Matt. 10:5-31 Jesus tells his disciples that they are to go and preach his message, heal the sick, rise the dead, drive out demons, cleanse leprosy, and freely receive and give to people in His name. But he sends them with a word of caution- they will be hated, beaten, arrested, mistreated, and even killed. He ends saying, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father (or without the care of your Father). Even the hairs on your head are numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Mat.10:28-31

Everyone knows the question on their mind... it's the same on ours when we face suffering. WHY?! Britt makes a point right here to say why is the wrong question. Jesus doesn't care about the why, answering it wont make you feel better or take away the pain. Who is what we need to focus on. Who will be there in the mist of suffering and trials. In the Bible wherever it says "Don't be afraid" it is always coupled with "for I am with you".
Isaiah 41:10  Isaiah 43:3  Joshua 1:9  Psalms 23:4  Jeremiah 1:8
In Matthew, Jesus says don't be afraid, nothing can happen to you apart from the Father. He will be with you. Don't be afraid, because when the worst comes knocking on your door, Daddy will be there with you.

Britt makes the point very powerful in his sermon, I will not be able to do it justice here. But I can share how it affects me and how grateful I am for his words. Here are a few main points that I made sure to get down word for word because they held so much meaning for me.

"All is not well in a fallen world"
Why are we surprised that the world is not heaven? Why are we so shocked when things go badly? Of course the world will have sufferings- we wouldn't be looking forward to paradise if it didn't.

"To Fear God is to revere, respect, honor, extol, and trust HIM enough to believe, by faith, that He is good sovereign, and present when life is hard, cruel and out of control." 
Amen! Faith doesn't end with, "as long as I get what I want", it starts with I believe this ^ about God and will continue to believe it REGARDLESS! To fear God is a goal of mine and I seek after it daily.

"Either we fear God, or we fear everything else"
I am a worrier- so I understand fear very well. I fear the unknown more than anything and work hard to be in the know. Doesn't work that way being a military wife however, and many things are just unknown. I would rather fear God then everything else; especially knowing that everything here on earth is temporary, God holds the eternal. I'd rather fear for my eternity than my temporary. I'd rather please God who controls my eternity than fear man who can only manipulate my here and now- which God still ultimate control over.

"Faith is trusting God's goodness despite any apparent evidence against it"
Gosh this is so good on so many levels!

"Living Faith is nothing else than a steadfast pursuit of God through all the disguises, disfigurements  and demolishes that see to abolish him"
This one takes some meditation but it is true to our world. We have to see things differently if we want to see them correctly. Most of the time Satan shows us the disguise in hopes to kill our faith in Him. With a little effort we can pursue the truth. Seek Jesus and you will find the truth (John 1:4; 8:32;14:6, Ephesians 4:21).

"In the most difficult times in life we want clarity but God give us himself and asks that we trust him, wanting answers and trusting God are in opposition of each other"
When I just want answers I find my faith wavering, my eyes closed, and struggling to hold onto my self-reliance for dear life. It is at those moments I fail miserably. Then Jesus lovingly picks me back up, dusts off my unfaithfulness, and I see clearly how he had a plan all along- and I went and trampled through it on my self-assurance. In retrospect I can actually see that I missed out on so many blessings. If only I would have had a little more faith I would have received positive outcomes instead of self-inflicted pain. But i'm better for those mistakes and I have learned so much. When I receive him in trials, with trust, I feel assured (even in the unknowns), happy, lighthearted, and unafraid. So much better!

Lastly,
Christ = Emanuel which means "God with us"
The Cross= Love, proof that God loves us
The Resurrection= proof that whatever happens to us here on earth isn't ultimate. Death doesn't have the final say because Jesus conquered it.