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They cried out to Him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him.
1 Chronicles 5:20b NIV

Have you felt like you are in a battle?

A battle for your soul? For your future? Your joy? For your security? Maybe for your family? Did you cry out to the Lord?

I know I have felt like I have been in battles over my lifetime. There was the battle for my sanity while I lived abroad after college, not knowing much of the language or having friends. I wasn’t able to sit and play the piano like I was used to when I needed to relax. Feeling like I could have easily lost my sanity, I was able to cry out to God there in a distant land without the help of my family or home church. I had to trust God all on my own. He gave me a wonderful friend that was more than I asked for. He gave me experiences that helped to mature my personality and faith.

Many couples feel like they are in a battle for their marriages. You may have been one of those. You had to trust that God heard your prayers, even when things may not have improved. Maybe it was for health, finances, addictions, or love.

After your husband passed away, you began a battle for your future and your joy. Maybe for your security or your family. Do you remember the first few hours? You had to remind yourself to breathe. The battle was beginning and you may not have been ready for it. Did you cry out to God, praying to trust Him? I’m sure many of us shed tears during our times of prayer. I know I sure did. Trust was the thing I needed most, but seemed the most difficult to grasp.

Trust.

Sometimes that word brings comfort. Sometimes fear.

Our verse says, “Because they trusted in Him.”

We have had to trust that God was hearing our prayers. Trust God knew what was going on. Our trust was that God, all-loving and all-powerful, had a plan that included this most painful experience.

Do you recall the trust it took at the very beginning of your widow journey? Do you recall specific events when trust was all you had?

I had to battle for my family. I was not going to allow Satan to drag us into deep pits. We were sad, yes, very sad. Losing our strong male influence was devastating. How in the world was I capable of leading these children? I had to consciously decide that trust in God was the way we were going to fight this battle for joy.

Some of you have been experiencing the battle against fears as the world has been thrown into upheaval with a pandemic. Can God still be trusted? Is our security still found in Him? Employment may be difficult to find right now, especially if you have been out of the “work force” for years. Insurance. Retirement. Investments. All these areas pull at us and beg to trust them. We have to battle those security issues by fully trusting God with our futures. Fully.

Today, what battle are you fighting? Trust in God, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Go back to Hebrews chapter 11, often called the Faith Hall of Fame. Look at all the battles that those individuals fought while trusting God for the outcome. We have the advantage of His Word to guide us. Let’s use it!

Father God, I thank You for the faith that You have authored in our lives. Faith that trusts in You during our difficult battles. Thank You for pushing us and molding us into the women of faith that You need for furthering Your Kingdom. Remind us today how far we have come on our journey and how You have upheld us with Your Mighty Hands. Amen