Thriving in the Midst of Crisis

If you are in a crisis or storm, I want to encourage you not to give up! This is the perfect time to praise God because He is still in the miracle-working business. Scripture reminds us that if God is for you, then who can be against you? The answer is no one. It doesn’t matter what your circumstances look like; God has already orchestrated a resolution on your behalf that is for your good.

Let’s talk about Joseph. Joseph faced tough times after his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. He had every right to give up and call it quits, but he didn’t. Amid his situation, which went from bad to worse, Joseph maintained his integrity and his connection to God. As a result, God was able to bless him greatly. The wisdom that God gave Joseph allowed an entire nation to thrive and prosper in the face of a famine, in the face of adversity. God is no respecter of persons; the Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom and promises He will give it to us freely. If God gave Joseph the wisdom to prosper despite the obstacles he was facing, you can be assured that He will do the same for you.

It’s so easy to put your confidence in your job or your abilities or the money in your bank account, but these things are temporary and will fail you. The wisdom of God will never fail because you serve a loving Father who takes joy in blessing you. When you operate in the wisdom of God and place your trust in Him and Him alone, you will prosper. Say it with me now, “I have the wisdom of God, and it operates in my life. I hear what God has to say, and I am obedient to what He has for me and what He says to me.”

To operate in God’s wisdom, you must be willing to be flexible and shift. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Are you flexible to the movement and direction of the Lord? One pastor I know closed his church doors because people stopped attending, but now he is reaching four times more people through social media than he did before. I’m not telling you to do that, but this man of God was willing to hear and obey the Lord, and is reaping the rewards of his obedience. The church is not the building; we are the church, so you have to be willing to follow God—to listen and obey Him—so that you can prosper.

Where do you see a lack in your life? That’s a trick question: the answer should be nowhere. If you see a lack, I want you to consider if you believe the Word of God. It’s easy to quote Scripture, but it takes faith to believe it. You exercise your faith by hearing the Word of God. The Word can dominate every situation and circumstance you may face. You have everything you need, including ministering angels assigned to you, but you have got to start exercising your faith. What happened to our faith? What happened to receiving what grace has made available? Grace has made all things available to us; all we’ve got to do is go to the throne of grace and find help in our time of need. You’re not by yourself. You are not alone. You have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit working on your behalf, but you have to believe it and put your faith to work.

Things will come at you; that’s just a part of life. It’s not what comes at you; it’s how you respond amid an attack that reveals who you are. When you apply the Word of God, ask and receive His wisdom, and put your trust in Him, you will receive what you need to thrive amid life’s challenges.