Main Idea: The essential focus of a disciple in troubled times is to center our attention on God’s perspective.

This morning we want to talk about what we as disciples do when we hit troubled or turbulent times. What I want us to understand today is that in order for us to become a complete and competent disciple of Jesus Christ there is an essential focus we must have during troubled times. What is that focus? The essential focus of a disciple in troubled times is to center our attention on God’s perspective. All problems have a purpose and all trouble is a test!

One of my favorite chapters in Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life is the chapter titled "Transformed by Trouble." In that chapter he says, "God has a purpose behind every problem…Life is a series of problems. Every time you solve one, another is waiting to take its place. Not all of them are big, but all of them are significant in God’s growth process for you." (p. 193). That is obvious from what Paul tells us in our text for this morning. While it is true that these verses are somewhat teaching a variety of things that disciples do, I believe that they as a unit show us the particular, essential focus a disciple must have when we face troubled times.

Jesus never pretended that the life of a disciple was going to be one without trouble or pain. He said, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) Paul himself was told from the very moment of his salvation, "how much he must suffer" for the cause of Christ (Acts 9:16). Peter said "Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you." (I Peter 4:12) If we are a complete and competent follower of Jesus Christ we are going to face troubled times. Centering our attention on God’s perspective will be our essential focus to get us through them!

We all know how hard it is to think clearly or rationally in troubled times. We get confused and lose the capacity to view things in their true relationships and true importance. It’s easy for us to feel that God has abandoned us or that there is something wrong with us or with others when we face troubled times. As a result, we lose perspective and focus. We forget that God uses problems to draw us closer to him. As we look at this passage this morning I find seven ideas that Paul brings out in this passage that will help us keep God’s perspective as our essential focus in troubled times.

So how do we keep our attention on God’s perspective? First, when we encounter troubled times we have to look ahead. (Rom 12:12a) Paul said, "Be glad for all God has planned for you." Other translations say, "Rejoicing in hope" (NASV). This statement is the most essential factor for us in keeping our focus in troubled times. The words mean that a believer has such a deep confidence in what God is doing now and is going to do in the future that they allow the hope of that to alter their perspective now. This isn’t some "the sun will come out tomorrow" sort of attitude. It is, instead, a strong conviction of what Paul has said before in Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." No one but God can take our troubled times and use them for good in our life. It will be our ability to look ahead to what God is doing, even when we can’t see it that will keep us focused on God’s perspective. This is not automatic but a willful decision on the part of a disciple—I will look ahead and when I look ahead to what God is planning I am filled with joy!

There’s a second thing that we must do to keep our focus on God’s perspective and that is we sometimes need to just get a grip! (Rom 12:12b). Paul said, "Be patient in trouble." This means to be willing to stay under or go through courageously a time of pressure, oppression or problems. It’s not just merely "enduring" it but staying strong and brave through the time of pain and trouble. That’s why I’ve said, "Get a grip!" In other words, grab hold and don’t let go of either God or the trouble. That’s not easy because when troubles come the first reaction for any of us is that we want them to go away! Jesus wanted his pain to be removed in the Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed for God to let "this cup pass from me" (Luke 11:42). Paul did the same thing when he asked that "the thorn in the flesh" be removed from him (2 Cor. 12:7-8). Yet each of them seized the pain and refused to let go. There are times when the pain isn’t going to go away until God chooses and the most courageous thing we can do is "get a grip!"

Another thing that’s important for us in troubled times is to pray constantly (Rom. 12:12c). Paul tells us, "Always be prayerful." There are many things that will distract us when we are going through troubled times. All of them will work together to pull our attention away from our spiritual needs. We stop reading the Bible, praying, being with other Christians – it all just comes to a halt in our life. We imagine, "I did all that before and look where it got me! So why bother now?" Yet it will be the measure or our intention in prayer that will be the fuel to carry us through courageously our troubled times. Rick Warren says, "It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heartfelt, honest-to-God prayers. When we’re in pain we don’t have the energy for superficial prayers" (Purpose Driven Live, p. 194). Praying constantly will keep your perspective!

One of the dangers we all face in troubled times is the tendency to turn inward and shut ourselves off from people. That’s why it is important for us to open our life to others when we are going through troubled times. Paul says, "When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.(12: 13) This is a fascinating verse. The context was that so many of the early Christians were refugees due to persecution. If other Christians didn’t help them out, then they would be left to be victimized by those who opposed them. What these words really mean is that we so identify with someone else’s needs we make them our own. Also, we are not to be casual about opening our home and heart to others but we are to aggressively pursue them! Do you see what a gift this verse is! If we are in troubled times and we dare to open our life to the needs of someone else and make them our own, where does that place our focus? It’s on them—not on us! Is this easy? No! In fact it may be one of the hardest things you can do. Yet when you open your heart and your home to the life of someone else, you see your trouble in a different perspective. Open your life!

We come to perhaps the hardest thing we have to do when we face troubled times. Paul tells us in verse 14 "If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that God will bless them." What’s he saying? He is telling us that should our trouble find its source in someone who is deliberately, intentionally, making our life miserable, our response is to seek the very best for them. It is to even speak either in prayer or to that person your desire for God’s best in someone’s life. Paul even tells us what we are to stop doing and that is to stop speaking evil or desiring evil on someone. I call this "doing the hard thing." The hard thing is to choose against everything your own nature demands, which is to get even or hurt someone because they have hurt you. Instead, we literally pray for God’s very best in their life even when they are hurting us so deeply. If you are going to keep your perspective in troubled times, you have to do the hard thing!

In a similar way that we need to open our life to others in troubled times we also need to share life with others – all of life! (Rom 12:15). Paul said, "When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow." I can’t fully describe the power in this verse. On the surface it seems to mean to give someone a pat on the back when things are good or give them a hug if they are having a hard time. Yet the language is so much stronger than that! What these words are saying is that if someone is experiencing extreme joy or pain, you own it as if it were your own! Particularly to do this because we are affirming God’s purpose in them. Whatever God is seeking to do in their life as a result of the joy or the pain, we are to find that, share that, and own that, just like it was happening to us! I get so frustrated with myself when I am going through hard times that I lose perspective and "it’s all about me." When really I need to be saying to people, "It’s all about you!" If you want to keep God’s perspective as you go through troubled times, then find someone and share life—all of life with him or her just as if it were your own!

There’s one final thing that I believe is essential to our keeping God’s perspective in times of trouble and that is we just need to "get real." (Romans 12:16). Paul reminded these believers "Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!" Again, the richness of this verse is so powerful. What he is describing here is the danger to lose perspective about yourself. When we face troubled times, we can get so low that we think we are of no worth or value. We can also think that our problems really aren’t that bad, we don’t need any help, "Why don’t you go feel sorry for someone else?" This isn’t faith; it’s faking faith because you won’t simply "get real" about yourself or your problems. What Paul encourages us to do is to get next to persons and circumstances that will cause you to face the reality about yourself and your problems! Just stop thinking you are all right when it’s not all right—get real!

It’s one thing to hear advice on keeping your focus in troubled times; it’s a whole other thing to see it and hear it from someone’s life. Audrey Ganong comes to tell her story in her words and in her song:

Are you living through some troubled times? Have you lost your perspective? The essential focus of a disciple is to keep God’s perspective in troubled times. And that all starts when we "lay it down!" All problems have a purpose and all trouble is a test.

Sunday, August 15, 2004

Dr. Bruce Tippit, Pastor

First Baptist Church

Jonesboro, Arkansas

btippit@fbcjonesboro.org