1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is how God will care 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 2: for you in times of trouble when you trust Him. 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: our sponsors. Trust God to care for You. Written and 7 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 2: read by Whitney Hoppler. The Lord is good, a refuge 8 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 2: in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust 9 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: in Him Nahum one seven and ivy. During the winter, 10 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 2: when the days are shortest, the weather is coldest, and 11 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: the festive energy of the holidays is worn off, many 12 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 2: people struggle with feeling sad and tired. The winter can 13 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: feel like an unending time of trouble since it's a dark, 14 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 2: cold season that seems to drag on forever. But in 15 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 2: this spallen world, there are so many challenges that you 16 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: can experience trouble at anytime. Thankfully, this Bible verse reminds 17 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 2: you that God is a refuge you can turn to 18 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: in times of trouble. A refuge is a safe place 19 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: with reliable help. God is the ultimate refuge for you 20 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 2: whenever you're facing any kind of trouble. God is always 21 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: purely good. He doesn't change with the seasons or with 22 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: your feelings. God's goodness is a constant truth you can 23 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 2: build your life on. The Bible doesn't promise you that 24 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: you won't experience trouble. In fact, it often acknowledges that 25 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: trouble is a part of life in this broken world. 26 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: Jesus says straight out in John sixteen thirty three that 27 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: in this world you will have trouble. But he adds 28 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 2: in that same verse, but take heart, I have overcome 29 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 2: the world. Nahum one seven assures you that you don't 30 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: have to face trouble alone. You can take refuge in God, 31 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: who is completely trustworthy in every situation. The second part 32 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: of this verse gives you the confidence that God cares 33 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: for those who trust in him. The same God who 34 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: created the vast universe and knows every star by name, 35 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 2: cares about the specific challenges you're facing right now. He 36 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: cares about the sadness and stress your feeling, and he 37 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: hears your prayers and plans to answer them. When other 38 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 2: people don't really care about how sad or exhausted you feel, 39 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: you can relax and be honest with God. God will 40 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: listen to how you really feel. And he really cares. 41 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: But God also asks you to tryrust him. Trust is 42 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: the key that unlocks God's care in your life. How 43 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 2: can you trust God to care for you? You need to 44 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: let go of the need to control the outcomes of 45 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: the troubling situations you're facing. Just like you can't control 46 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: the temperature or the amount of daylight in winter, and 47 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 2: you can't force yourself to feel better. But you can 48 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 2: choose to surrender your struggle to God. And you can 49 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: trust that God will help you with whatever you need 50 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 2: when you ask for his help. So talk with God. Honestly, 51 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: share all of your difficult feelings with God and tell 52 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 2: him you're choosing to trust Him to help you with 53 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 2: what you need. Then rest in the reality that God 54 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: will keep his promises. God promises to be a refuge 55 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 2: for you in times of trouble. He promises to care 56 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: for you when you trust him, So choose to believe 57 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: that God will really do that in the cold dark 58 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: days of winter. Trusting God allows you to stop worrying 59 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: about finding the warmth and light you need. Instead, you 60 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 2: get to rest in the warmth and light of God's 61 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 2: presence with you. You can take a deep breath and 62 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: remember that God's goodness is your greatest resource. God is 63 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: watching over you, guiding you, and providing for you even 64 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: in times of trouble. Take the pressure off yourself to 65 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: be cheerful when you're feeling sad, or to be productive 66 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 2: when you're tired. Just focus on connecting with God's presence 67 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 2: with you and trusting God to help you. God is good, 68 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: He is your refuge, and He cares for you. Let 69 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: God's care be the strength that gets you through times 70 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 2: of trouble. Intersecting faith in life as you consider why 71 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: it's important to trust God to care for you in 72 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 2: times of trouble, reflect on these questionsins what kind of 73 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 2: trouble are you currently facing? How does knowing that God 74 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: is a refuge for you change how you view the 75 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 2: trouble you're going through right now? How does it feel 76 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 2: less overwhelming? What's the situation in your life where you're 77 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 2: trying to control the outcome? How can you trust God 78 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 2: to help you with that situation so you can relax 79 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: and experience God's best for you. When was the time 80 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 2: in the past when you were going through a time 81 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 2: of trouble and God cared for you? Then? How can 82 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 2: you remind yourself this week to trust God more when 83 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: you're feeling sad or tired. Further reading John sixteen thirty three, 84 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 2: Psalm forty six to one, Psalm ninety one two, Isaiah 85 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: forty one ten, First Peter five seven. 86 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 87 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 88 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 89 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 90 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 91 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.