Session 11
Where to turn when the struggle is all too real
From Jeremiah: A 33-Day Devotional
A student signed up for a tutoring session with a teacher. He showed up with no pencil and paper, didn't ask questions, and only half listened while the teacher reviewed the lesson. When the student took his test later that day, he failed. He had gone to the tutoring session! Why didn’t he pass his test?
Showing up to a tutoring session isn’t an immediate fix to a student’s academic issues just like deciding to follow Jesus isn’t an immediate fix to our day to day struggles and challenges. Following Jesus doesn’t mean everything is perfect all the time (John 16:33). Our relationship with the Lord takes work, trust, and faith that God is always greater than our circumstances.
In Jeremiah 11, we are told that the people of Anathoth plotted to kill Jeremiah. Jeremiah had a real problem even though he was following Jesus, and we can experience that same situation today.
When we face challenges, we can do one of two things. We can run and hide, or we can call on God and face the situation at hand. God doesn’t promise us a problem-free existence. Instead, He promises to go before us and be with us and to never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). We don’t have to be afraid, discouraged, or anxious because we can trust God to answer us when we call.
Reflect:
- How do you respond when life doesn't go the way you thought it should?
- What's one thing currently causing you discouragement or anxiety?
- Think about all that's happened since that problem arose. What's one way you've seen God’s goodness in this situation already?