The Bible has much to say about the origin of trouble.
Some trouble comes into our lives because of our sin. As the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:6, we really do reap what we sow. If you slam your head against a wall, if you smash your thumb with a hammer, or if you touch a hot stove, it will hurt! If we overeat, if we lead a sedentary lives, if we engage in risky or addictive or promiscuous behavior-- there will be trouble.
We are truly free. We're not puppets. We're not robots. We don't live in strait jackets. There are no training wheels. We are completely free in every way. That is what is exhilarating about life and that is what is dangerous about life. Our choices are real choices that wield the most ultimate consequences. We can maim ourselves. We can die. We can perish for eternity. God doesn't limit our freedom in any way-- not even if it means that we are hurting ourselves.
Of course, God doesn't leave us without his counsel. In Genesis 4:7 (NIV) he tells Cain (who just murdered his brother Abel), "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Some trouble comes into our lives because of the sin of others.
For example, in Proverbs 15:27 a father brings trouble on his family because of his greed. A lot of trouble is because of the sin of others. We live in a murderous, adulterous, greedy, pornographic, exploitative, addictive, abusive, and morally corrupt world. In 1 Corinthians 5:10 Paul tells us that such trouble is brought on by the sins of others, and is inescapable. We can be maimed or killed by others, through no fault of our own.
Some trouble comes into our lives because the ground is cursed.
In Genesis 3:17-19 (NIV) God says to Adam, "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Our bodies are assaulted by germs and disease. Our land is devastated by floods, tornadoes, and natural calamity. As Jesus says in Matthew 6:19 (NIV), "...moth and rust destroy." Things break, they fail, and they deteriorate. The ground is inhospitable and it's a source of pain.
Some trouble comes into our lives because of satanic activity.
This was certainly the case in the life of Job, as Satan accuses Job before God. The next thing we know, Job's family, livelihood, health, and relationships are devastated as Satan tests the sincerity of Job's faith.
Some trouble comes into our lives because of God's discipline.
Hebrews 12:6-7 (NIV) says, "...the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"
Some trouble comes into our lives because of righteousness.
1 Peter 4:4 describes how people heap abuse on us when we don't go along with them in their sin.
Sometimes our trouble is a confusing mixture of many of these factors. As a general rule, it isn't wise to presume to know the mind of God in regard to specific trouble. There are things we just cannot know this side of glory. Be wary of those who speak definitively about these matters, like Job's friends in the book of Job. In the end, his friends proved themselves to be fools. In Job's case, his suffering had nothing to do with his sin, the sin of others, or God's wrath.
One quick example. Yesterday I was on the internet looking at photos of the devastation along the Mississippi. Suddenly an advertisement popped up from a Christian website asking, "Why is this happening?" I clicked the link. A website quoted Amos 3:6 (NIV) which says, "When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?"
What can we definitely know about trouble?
What we can know definitely about trouble is exactly what Jesus says in John 14:1 (NIV). It's an invitation to us. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me." Trouble ought not drive us away from God. Trouble ought to draw us near to God for help.
Psalm 46:1 (NIV) describes God as, "...our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." And so what do we see the psalmists doing repeatedly? They cry out to God! They pray! They call on his name! Despite their limited understanding of their circumstances, they put their trust in the living God. A great example of this is in Psalm 107. Five times the psalmist repeats a simple refrain, "Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress." See Psalm 107:6, Psalm 107:13, Psalm 107:9, and Psalm 107:28.
In our trouble, the Bible tells us in John 14:1 that Jesus is inviting us to trust God. He's not telling us to blame God, curse God, run from God, or not question or complain to God (though God has big shoulders and can handle our complaints). He is telling us to really trust God. Here's how we should pray. We should pray as the psalmist did in Psalm 143:11 (NIV), "For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble."
When trouble befalls us, what should our response be?
Speaking of Amos 3:6, if disaster does indeed befall a city because of the hand of God, then let us take our cue from Nehemiah when he hears how God's beloved city, Jerusalem, lay in ruins and complete devastation. Its walls were destroyed. Its gates were burned. Her people were scattered. What was Nehemiah's response? His response should be our response!
Nehemiah 1:4 (NIV) tells us, "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven."
I know that most of you came into this place this morning with heavily troubled hearts. You should be encouraged to know that it isn't God's desire that you remain in trouble! His desire is that we turn to him and trust him in everything-- no matter what!
Turn to God for everything and trust God with anything in your life.
In Isaiah 45:22 (NIV) God says, "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other."
You're angry. You're disillusioned. You're frustrated. You're exhausted. You're half mad. You're sad. Who knows, maybe you're ready to curse the name of God. I don't recommend that, but what I do recommend is that you turn to God! Trust him. Let's go back to 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV) which is the place where we started this whole series on trust. Paul writes, "Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."
For Paul, it wasn't important what cause led to the trouble. What mattered was where that trouble was leading him. "...this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead!" It doesn't say it happened because God caused it, but so that we'd rely on God who raises the dead, and not on ourselves.
Is there any trouble worse than death itself?
Is there any trouble worse than death itself? Our faith is in a God who raises the dead! Our repentance is from acts that lead to death. See Hebrews 6:1. We confess that Jesus is Lord. Why do we do this? In Romans 10:9 (NIV) it says that you do this because you, "...believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead." We believe that God can raise us too.
We get baptized. Why do we do this? Because when we go down into the water, and are completely immersed in our water death, we trust that God will raise us just as he raised Christ Jesus. Romans 6:4 (NIV) says, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Trouble isn't our eternal destiny! Don't you remember Jesus' words in John 16:33 (NIV)? "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
If you have trouble because you have sinned, repent and turn to God.
Repent and turn to God so that times of refreshing may come! Acts 2:38 (NIV) says, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 3:19 (NIV) says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
If you have trouble because another has sinned, forgive him.
Christ gives us the power to forgive anyone his sin, no matter how great. See John 20:23. And he commands us to forgive, just as we ourselves have been forgiven. See Matthew 6:14.
If you have trouble because of the curse, God has already redeemed you.
Galatians 3:13 says Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by taking our curse upon himself.
If you have trouble because of the attack of Satan, God will crush Satan.
Romans 16:20 (NIV) says, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."
If you have trouble because of the discipline of God, remember that God disciplines those he loves.
Take heart! Proverbs 3:12 (NIV) says, "...the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
If you have trouble because of righteousness, you will be blessed.
In Matthew 5:10 (NIV) Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
No matter what the trouble, we have a clear alternative. We can descend into anxiety, fear, rage, victimhood, narcissism, self-pity, and bitterness. Or we can ascend into faith, hope, love, forgiveness, joy, and salvation.
When life is on the brink, what will it be? Will you call on the name of God and trust him? Will you turn and believe on Jesus? Will you confess Jesus as Lord of your life? Will you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the grave? Will you repent from those acts that lead to death? Will you accept God's forgiveness and the gift of his Holy Spirit through baptism? Will you embrace God's salvation?
Study John 14, where we learn about God's answer to life's trouble.
The Holy Spirit, the counselor will pray on our behalf so we ask for the right things. The counselor may not take trouble away, but will help us stand the consequences.
The Holy Spirit, the counselor will guide us into all truth. The counselor will teach us love and obedience.
The counselor will give us joy and hope, but not necessarily worldly happiness. The counselor will give us a family of believers to stand with us.
All of this is available to us in our time of trouble if we just believe in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ.