Does God Know What You’re Going Through?

By Jon Walker

“Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” (Romans 15:4 NLT)

The things we truly believe emerge in the “nasty now-and-now” (as opposed to the “sweet by-and-by”). Our faith is hammered out in the everyday, mundane experiences of our lives.

The nasty now-and-now helps us see with painful clarity where we’ve been hanging our hope, such as on a paycheck, a circumstance, a job, or a relationship. Can you see that when we place more hope in those things than we do in Jesus, then he has to act in a sense of a tough love and ruthless mercy? He pulls those hooks off the wall so we’ll pick up our hopes and hang them on the one who hung on the cross for us.

Talk About It

• If you could believe your current circumstances are part of God’s big-picture — his redemptive plan — how would you behave differently?

• In the Old Testament, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; yet God used that to save not only his brothers from starvation, but an entire nation (Genesis 37-50). What do you think about Joseph telling his brothers: “So it was not really you who sent me here, but God. He has made me the king’s highest official. I am in charge of his whole country; I am the ruler of all Egypt” Genesis 45:8 (TEV)?

• Considering God’s character, would he redeem Joseph’s circumstances but not yours? (Hint: The answer is “no”!)

Jon’s new book is Breakfast with Bonhoeffer.

Jon is managing editor of Rick Warren’s Daily Hope Devotionals and the author of Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Bonhoeffer’s “The Cost of Discipleship.”  This devotional © Copyright 2013 Jon Walker. All rights reserved. Used by permission.