Page by page, this family of faith welcomes us on a series of painful hurts and disappointments. Five distinct perspectives and personalities express how to hold onto our faith despite when life breaks our heart.
Questions can flood our hearts and minds as to why and how long, especially when there are a series of painful events, hurts, and disappointments. While we are flooded with such questions, many of us hold steadfast, quoting God's word back to him, praising him for how he is going to showing himself mightily, and confidently sharing with the those around us, how God is going to show up and show out. Now imagine the platform the Evans family has. They spoke and declared the mighty works God would do and people all over the world joined in and prayed and declared the awesomeness of God.
What do you do when you believe you have done everything you could possibly do, and it does not turn out the way you anticipated or thought?
The Evans family are sharing their candid questions and struggles in the book Divine Disruptions. Their overarching answer is to remain faithful to our faithful God.
Divine Disruption - Keeping the Faith
One of the hardest things that we will all admit to facing are unwelcomed disruptions and disappointments. Whether it is something self-inflicted or caused by someone else, it is painful. Let’s look at it from this perspective. Perhaps you are someone that honored and obeyed their parents, honored authority whether it was a teacher, the unkind usher, the loving Sunday-school teacher, or the obnoxiously arrogant coach, you submitted yourself to authority. When others pursued to party, the clubs, and living an ungodly lifestyle, although you understood you were not perfect and tremendously flawed, you pursued the things of God. Desiring to grow and do more in life, you pursued a college education and became a productive citizen. When the decision to marry presented itself, you did not take it lightly. You pursued everything that God had to do or what was advised by wise counsel. You took the pre-marital curriculum seriously and placed the material before God to help you. You wanted God to help you even though you felt confident that you took marriage seriously, you wanted him to make you aware of what areas you needed to grow in, being ever so careful not to assume you were strong in areas that you may have lacked strength. Yes, perhaps challenges in life that may come, yet you were in it for the long haul – fully committed. You catered to a stellar work attendance, and you did not shuck your duties nor did leave room for waste. The company’s time and resources all utilized for its intended use, and you avoided to compromise company’s time for things that were personal. You took heart that as you work you did so unto the Lord, and it was to honor and bless Him. You realized it was Him that blessed you and it is him who truly gives promotion. You kept the budget and maintained being a watchful steward over your finances by saving and not living above your means. You read your bible and prayer for God’s leadership and direction. You woke in the early morning hours to hear his voice, and not only did you praise him, but your worship was also an experience that illuminated beyond the secret closet and the thread of worship was lived out in your lifestyle. You believe it was an absolute honor God for his word is truth and life. You believed in faithfulness even in the most difficult of times – that is just who you are at the very core.
One day you at work, you noticed a pink slip on your computer keyboard. It appeared as if the words leaped off the page, as some of the words were written in bold letters that further emphasized your dismissal. Essentially it read: Your services are no longer needed here. We have come to the decision that we need to downsize this department due to the cost cuts and downward spiral of the economy… The words kept, almost pounding the page, yet the words that were meant to buffer the blow all meant the same. Unemployed yet your heart is not easily troubled. The fact that you had poured years into that company, and no one came to you face-to-face did not drive it jagged blade through you. Oh no – Not You! You accepted this lay off and you gracefully walked away with this assurance that God would surely send a job to you quickly. You and those that depend on you would be just fine- you walked away confident. Your heart beamed as you encouraged yourself in the word: He will not cause my foot to be moved. I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. You found yourself strengthen by the word that has been written on your heart since a child.
Seven months had now past since you walked out of your office declaring scriptures and you have continued to do so with much confidence. Even with the early signs of the financial crunch, you let go of things, yet you would not let go of your God. Matters began to get worse. When you thought, matters could not get worse and just when you needed things to become the most stable, you have discovered your spouse has carried on multi-year multi-partner affairs. God has seemed silent yet then a word is declared to your heart about faith and legacy. A word is whispered in your ear that you are that he can is with you.
The thing about disruptions is, they do not seem to exactly line up with what we had in mind and what we thought God’s purpose for our lives would be. Let’s not forget we believe we are owed some measure of exemption from trials when even in his word he gives us ample verses of scripture that foretells that we will have trials and we are to endure them as a good soldier.
James 1:2-4Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
@drtonyevans @chrystalhurst @priscillashirer @anthonyevansjr @jonathanblakeevans