{{item.title | uppercase}}

Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.
Genesis 35:3 (NIV)

I have issues with some of the Old Testament characters. Mostly because they act so much like me! They act so HUMAN! I like my heroes to be, well, less like me! I appreciate when they learn the hard lessons and don’t repeat their mistakes. But I certainly don’t do that. Have you ever thought, “God, if You could just write down in a book, the lessons I am to learn, I would learn them so much better than if I experience it!”

But He knows me. He knows I learn best when I go through learning experiences. Those times like Psalm 23 speaks of: the valley of the shadow of death.

One character we have been focusing on at church has been Jacob. He made some really bad decisions in his lifetime. And they are written out for all to see: deceit, stealing, favoritism, passivity, to name a few.

So when one of these characters seems to FINALLY understand a spiritual concept, I get excited! In the verse above, he says these words:

God, who answered me in the day of my distress (trouble) and who has been with me wherever I have gone.

He finally acknowledged that God was with him everywhere he had gone! God answered him during his darkest days! That was quite a declaration for Jacob. So often Jacob would respond with how the situation made him look bad or respond with trying to control the situation. Don’t you know God was thrilled by this response?

This verse grabbed my attention because I have been so much like Jacob throughout my life. As much as I hate to say it, many of my sins have been the same. But like Jacob, I must acknowledge Who answered me during those dark days watching my husband’s health deteriorate. Remember those hours immediately following your husband’s death? Those tears that seemed to drain and dehydrate your entire body? Who was there, holding your hand, wrapping you in loving arms?

What anguished prayers did you utter? How did God answer those prayers? My prayers were mainly, “Help me, Jesus!” or “Give me peace about this…”

It is during these times of distress that our faith is strengthened the most. We can read about growing our faith and we can watch videos about how to mature in our faith. But it only happens when we go through difficulties when we can’t make it on our own strength.

Our testimony becomes like Jacob’s. We say that God answered us in our day of distress and that He was with us along the journey.

I have been encouraging my ladies’ group to write out a short testimony to God’s faithfulness in each of their lives. In 1 Peter 3:15, the disciple Peter, who we have documents of his struggles with faith, reminds us to be ready with an answer when someone asks about the HOPE we have in Christ. Peter, you remember him? He denied Christ three times and also misunderstood many of the things Jesus taught him along the way. But then Peter was changed after the Resurrection of Christ. Peter found strength in the HOPE he had in Christ and was able to share it with others throughout the known world.

So take heart, Sister. We never have to have it all figured out or be perfect. There is not one example of that in Scripture besides the Lord Jesus. Our role is to trust Him and remember He goes with us, answering us in our days of distress.

Oh, Lord Jesus. Thank You for Your continued faithfulness in our lives. We call upon You and You answer. It isn’t easy to struggle in our faith, but that’s how our faith grows. Help us today to trust You more fully. Amen