O Me of Little Faith - Part 2

If "O Me of Little Faith - Part 1" was about "the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4)," in "Part 2," I hope to show you how genuine faith looks when it is lived out in the lives of God's people. The key Scripture will be the following:

"For we walk by faith, not by sight"  

(2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV)

 What is FAITH? The dictionary defines it as an "absolute trust." However, the key to our faith is who or what is the object of that trust. Where we miss the mark is that often we place our "faith" in people, technology, political or religious leaders, government, doctors, medicine, athletes, religion, philosophy, and our own wisdom and abilities. I find it enlightening that the verse that is at the exact center of the Bible is Psalm 118:8,

"It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man." (ESV)

Hebrews Chapter 11 is often referred to as a list of the Heroes of the Faith. We see the names of great men and women throughout history whose faith was extraordinary. However, every person on that list was a flawed individual. Their faith was not always so evident. Their motivations were not always pure. Their lives were far from perfect. Yet the Lord included them as examples for us.

Why? Because they were no different than you and I. When we look at the names on that list (Moses, Joseph, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, etc.), our faith should be strengthened. For you see, Moses was not THE MOSES to begin with. 

He was literally a basket case who was only yards away from being killed as a baby. He was a murderer. He was a fugitive from justice. He spent 40 years in the middle of nowhere caring for sheep. No doubt he had more than his share of Dark Nights in Midian. Yet, God used this man to lead His people out from Egyptian bondage to the edge of the Promised Land. I am quite certain Moses never once in all those "Dark Nights" over 40 years ever considered such an opportunity would be in his future. But God did!

Joseph was not THE JOSEPH when he started out. His brothers turned on him, threw him into a pit, sold him into slavery in Egypt where he spent much of his time in jail for something he did not do. In the "Dark Nights" in that jail, I wonder if he could have imagined that one night he would still be in his cell and before the end of the next day he would be the second highest ranking person in all of Egypt. He may not have thought it possible, but God did!

So, what kind of faith do you have? Absolute trust in God no matter what? Complete surrender to His will for your life, no matter what? Do you "see" God all around you? Do you feel His presence as you go through your day?

If you are like me, the answer is "No, not really." To be honest, my own faith is missing something. I want to totally trust God, but in these "Dark Nights," I am just struggling to make it until the morning. Oh, I believe in God, but my faith falters sometimes when I am tested. 

What am I doing wrong? Well, I have learned from the people mentioned in Hebrews 11, that referring to it as "wrong" is WRONG! You see, like Moses and Joseph, I have no clue how God is going to use these circumstances. I only know that He will. That is my faith! Will it grow? Yes! Will it mature? Yes? Will it be easy? Never is! Is that a reason to give up? No! Is there a better alternative? Absolutely not! Just try putting your faith and life in the hands of this world and see just where that leads you. Millions have done so and regretted it. The ball is in your court. Your serve!

So, what does all of this mean? FAITH is not subjective. It is not conjured up from nothing. It is real! It is true! Hebrews 11:1 puts it this way;

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (ESV) 

Faith in man (or Lucy) will bring pain!

So, what does genuine faith look like? Well, it's not perfect because we are not perfect. It is not unshakable because all of us have discovered that we can be shaken very easily. Genuine faith in Christ is not evident just because we say that we possess it. More importantly, when we find ourselves discouraged in the "Dark Nights," our faith does not disappear because we say that it has or feel that it has.

Faith is the most important aspect of our Christian walk. Without faith, we cannot be saved. Without faith, we cannot please God. Without faith, we cannot trust God. Without faith, we cannot pray to God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, 

without faith it is impossible to please him (God), for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (ESV)

The Lord so wants to strengthen our faith, that He places men and women in our lives to show us how to live by faith. Current day Heroes of the Faith. Look around! You can't miss them. 

Dr. Bob Ward passed away on April 9th of this year. You want to know what genuine faith looks like? Bob was it. His faith in Christ impacted every single area of his life. Genuine faith does that! In Bob's life, it affected every conversation he had, every decision he made, every interaction he encountered, every difficulty he faced. His life was his faith. His faith was not just a handy thing to carry around until he needed it. It was literally the thing that carried him everywhere he went. Whether pastoring a church, counseling and mentoring pastors, leading missionary efforts in Romania, encouraging Christians all over the world, raising a family, being a godly husband, and sharing the Gospel in both word and by example, Bob's life testified to the genuineness of his faith. 

The morning of his death, his wife, Yvonne, posted the following; 

Robert Martin Ward, Jr.

October 3, 1941 - April 9, 2014

This morning his faith became sight

While Bob lived in his earthly body, he boldly walked by faith in Jesus Christ. Once he was no longer in his earthly tent, he stood in the presence of Jesus. He no longer needed the assurance of his faith. The evidence stood right in front of him - Jesus! 

Bob Ward

Our faith is often tested. During such times, the genuineness of our faith either shows itself strong and points others to the object of our faith -- Jesus, or it does not. 

My friend, Jerry Wilmore, has, for many years, been a great source of encouragement to me, his church family, and to everyone he meets. He has a wonderful singing voice. When he sings, you don't hear Jerry, you hear Jesus. Less than a month ago, Jerry was diagnosed with throat cancer. With his permission, I have included some of his texts and emails during this time. What does genuine faith look like? Read on!

"God is in control, Jesus is our Savior, Jehovah Rapha is our healer. Please continue to lift prayers for healing as we enter Chapter 2 of this journey. And that God will be glorified through all of this. Not because of who I am. Not because of what I've done. But because of who He is!

I regret that I may be sidelined for a short time as my throat heals, but God's not through with me yet! My future is not a mystery to Him because He is already there. Every praise is to our God!" (May 8, 2014)

"Tony, you'll like this. We had chemo training class today. The instructor is baptist and sings in her church choir. She plays piano so we may strike up a tune during treatments. We had a nice chat about the Hope in Jesus! Then I met with the physician who is (today) working on my radiation treatment plan. He's a baptist too. We had a long talk about how God will use my testimony to bring glory to Himself and accomplish much in the name of Jesus. Then we held hands and he prayed for us. And I wish you could hear him pray! It is very evident he is a man who spends quality time in prayer to God. Well, as you can guess - that got me pumped up. Imagine the comfort knowing that God is in control, then finding out the man responsible for planning my treatment is one of God's servants! Hallelujah!" (May 28, 2014).

"I finished my first chemo at noon today in record time! No problems. Praise God!!! Just got my radiation (Tomotherapy) schedule. Starts Monday at 4 pm. Will then be every "weekday" at 4 except for chemo days....A total of 35 radiation treatments.... God definitely has a plan for me and this is part of it!!!!! To God be ALL the Glory!! (May 29, 2014)

Dr. Bill Bright was the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. For over 50 years, the organization he headed took the Gospel all over the world and reached millions of people. His faith in Christ was evident to all who knew him. Then came the news from the lung specialist that he had pulmonary fibrosis.   

"So I was reasonably prepared when the physician told me I would die a terrible death with an incurable disease. He said it would be worse than a heart attack or cancer, "You will choke to death." Aloud in his office, I replied, "Thank You, Lord." The specialist was taken aback. Even though he was a longtime friend, he rebuked me because he did not believe I was really listening to his comments. "You don't understand," he said, restating the horrors of dying by suffocation because of pulmonary fibrosis. I said, "I believe the Bible, and it says Christians are to give thanks in all things and to rejoice whatever the news." The doctor remained disapproving of my response, perhaps thinking I was in denial. No, I was in declaration of the truth of God's Word and will for my life"

"I do intend with all my heart to face the winter season of my life on earth in this way: full of faith in our great Creator-God and Savior, full of joy in the truth of His promises, full of peace about my future that the Prince of Peace holds in His hands." (from "The Journey Home" by Bill and Vonette Bright).

In the two years between his diagnosis and his death, on oxygen and bedridden 24 hours a day, Bill Bright worked or consulted on more than 80 different projects. It was one of the most productive periods of his entire life. He didn't know how God would use his circumstances. He only knew that He would. Great God! Great faith! Great testimony! Great example! 

Only our faith can sustain us when everything around us crumbles. It's all we have! It's all we need! Because our faith is rooted in the things of God, our minds and hearts are focused on our heavenly home. When we get off track and think this world is our home, we are overwhelmed and overcome in our despair. 

If this world is all there is, then death, pain, and disease are something to be feared. If our citizenship is in heaven, then the short time we spend on earth is but a vapor compared to the eternity we have to look forward to in heaven. Do you see, then, how the object of our faith determines our reaction to the "Dark Nights" we face. Where is your faith focused? If you find that you are walking by sight, close your eyes and walk by faith. 

Helping the Hurting

O.K., if you were looking for "O Me of Little Faith - Part 2," (which should follow "Part 1," right!) it is the blog following this one. The Lord led me to write this blog first. I don't know why, but I trust Him on this. 
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When I was writing the previous post (O Me of Little Faith - Part 1), I struggled a great deal with just how much of my life and circumstances I should share. I deleted and undeleted the first couple of paragraphs several times. 

Why? Part of it was pride (well, a whole lot of it was pride). I did not want to open myself up in that way because as a man and as a Christian we are not supposed to leave ourselves so open, vulnerable, and weak. I did not want people to feel sorry for me or feel bad because they did not know how bad things had become. Yet, we are all vulnerable and weak. We are all "cracked pots!" 

Why must we continue to wear masks that hide who we are and the pain we are enduring? We may ask for generalized prayer, but we will not be specific about what it is. We are supposed to be brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet we act like total strangers much of the time. Every Sunday, we sit within arm reach of someone who is in the middle of a "Dark Night" in their lives. Yet, we seldom know about it. 

I have been in a few church situations where people just stood up and openly shared all that was going on in their lives. As this happened, more and more people felt "freed" from their pride and bondage to what others might think, and stood up and shared their heart. The tears flowed. Hugs were abounding everywhere you looked. The altar and aisle ways were crowded with folks on their knees crying out to God. Sadly, this does not happen very often, but it should. 

As Christians we are called to "bear one another's burdens" (Galatians 6:2). But how can we do that when believers stay clammed up and refuse to share the difficulties they are going through? We don't get extra credit or rewards for suffering in silence. Such an attitude does not fall under "suffering for the kingdom." All we get is despair and hopelessness. 

Ironically, many believers actually blame the church and the pastor for their pain and suffering because no one offered to help them. Well, as a former pastor let me just say "I cannot read your mind. The church cannot address your situation if it doesn't know about it." However, the church also fails its responsibility when it becomes aware of a member's suffering and chooses to look the other way. 

I know, I know! Many of you are thinking "Hey, some of these folks need so much help that we don't know what we can do!" OR "Those people are always needing help. They just want the church to support them." In my years of ministry, there is one frequent response that Christians and even churches use in these kinds of situations, "We are just trying to be "good stewards" with God's money." Translation = "We don't want to help, so we use our stewardship to justify inaction."

Oh really! Does your conviction regarding stewardship apply to all the other areas of your life? Tithe, gifts and other giving, managing your income in a way that honors the Lord, being good stewards of your time, living modestly, not smothering your life with "stuff." It is sad, selfish, and unbiblical (as well as an out and out lie) to use "selective" stewardship as a justification for not helping. 

Churches also fall into the same unbiblical thinking. How many churches spend millions of dollars to expand/improve/impress with their facilities, while at the same time they stand idly by while their members lose their homes, jobs, families, and health. While senior adults choose which of their medicines they can afford or which ones they will cut in half to make them last longer. With folks who sit in front of a fan all day in the summer sweating because they cannot afford to turn on the AC (if they even have it in the first place). The church is filled with hurting people who suffer in silence, and a new addition to the church building does not help them one bit.

So what does it say when churches undertake massive building programs to make themselves more comfortable while members are hurting and non-believers (sometimes families with children) drive or walk by the church everyday who do not have a place to sleep or something to eat? Is it God's "stewardship" plan to spend so much money on things instead of people? Absolutely not! 

These are not deep theological questions here. We don't need to consult commentaries and other bible study tools to figure this out. The Scriptures have more than enough to say on this subject. 

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10 ESV)

Did you notice that the Apostle Paul in writing this text points out one of the basic truths found throughout God's Word? We (individuals and churches) reap what we sow. If we choose to ignore the poor, downtrodden, the hurting, and oppressed, we are not sowing as the Holy Spirit of God leads us. As a result, we will (I have and I bet you have too) reap corruption (literally means decay or ruin). The verses below are about as damning a set of Scriptures for the church and its congregants as any in all the Bible because, unfortunately, there is so much truth in them that we would prefer not to see or hear them:

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?" (James 2:15-16 ESV)

"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."  (Romans 15:1-2 ESV)

 “For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:42-46 ESV)

Get the picture? Now lets move on. 

Many of you are aware that I was a volunteer at the Stevens Street Care Center for a number of years and was the Director for three years. The Care Center gives food and clothing to all who come through the doors. They also help with utilities, medicines, and other needs as funds are available. Every person who comes in for assistance sits with a counselor who talks with them, shares the gospel with them, and prays with them. In my 6+ years there, I counseled over 10,000 people. Other counselors have shared with many more than that. Today, five other churches are involved in the Care Center Ministry. Praise be to God! 

Here is where I want you to see what God is calling His people and His church to be. I cannot count the number of times that someone called me or approached me when I was the Care Center Director and said something like this: "Bro. Tony, I just met or learned of a family that needs help with ______ (you can fill in the blank)? What can the church or the Care Center do to help them?" My consistent response would be "Since God has specifically made you aware of this family and their need, what is the Holy Spirit leading you to do about it?" The Lord had brought this family's situation to the attention of a specific person. This was a Divine appointment! It was no accident! Why would God do that if He wanted the church or somebody else to help them? Instead of reaching out and ministering to the family, the buck gets passed. But that's not all. The person who should have reached out to the family ends up missing an unbelievable blessing.

The Care Center is but one of many examples of the church and its people reaching out to those less fortunate among us. It is a wonderful ministry. The people who volunteer there have a genuine heartfelt desire to serve others. Each year, thousands of people are ministered to in the name of Jesus. But, the Care Center was not supposed to be the main avenue for benevolence for the churches. Church "members" are supposed to fill that role.

That is exactly what happened over a hundred years ago when churches all across the US started to fall into the trap of believing the government could do a better job of helping the poor than the church. Well, they did not really believe that, but they liked the idea of not having to be personally involved with the poor. So, they said "We will give you (the government) money, and you take care of them." Well, how has that worked out? 

The same thing happens today. I have spoken in many churches over the years on this subject and here is the number one response I received: "I will write you a check, but please don't ask me to do anything." Sound familiar? Reread the previous paragraph. 

If you have gotten this far in this blog, I am impressed. I had difficulty getting to this point and I am the one who wrote it. Bear with me as I share a few closing points. First, having served in many ministry positions over the years, I have seen many, many godly Christians who give and serve others beyond anything you could imagine (unless you are one of them). You don't know about most of them because they do it anonymously and with no fanfare. My family has been blessed many times by individuals whose name we never were able to find out. So, this blog is not for those folks. It is for all the others who miss out because they do not choose to do so.

Second, I do realize that smaller churches do not have the financial resources to deal with a lot of the issues I have discussed. What is amazing to me is just how much these churches are able to do among their congregations and communities. My own church, Bangham Heights Baptist Church, is a great example of giving and serving above and beyond their ability to do so. Churches can go beyond their ability only when the church and its people see others as Christ sees them. Thank God for the smaller churches.

Third, larger churches are not bad. Many of them, because of their financial resources, are able to fund missions and ministries in the community and around the world that could not be done otherwise. By virtue of their size, they can get more people to volunteer to help in all kinds of ways. When I lived in Cookeville, I attended Stevens Street Baptist Church. Not a perfect church (had me as a member), but a church that sought to do what it was that God was calling it to do. Just like smaller churches, there were and still are people of great faith and a servant's heart who are constantly seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Cookeville and around the world. 

Finally, (aren't you glad to see that word!) if you are a believer and find yourself in the middle of a "Dark Night," please pray and ask the Lord for His guidance, then go and share with another believer, Sunday School Class, Life Group, or Pastor what is happening. Be open! Be honest! I am confident you will find that the person you share with will understand exactly what you are going through. I don't know how God works it out like that, but He does. You will be blessed in doing so, and the one you share with will be blessed as well. If you are the one who is approached and you say "I've never done anything like this before," just pray and be a great listener. Hurting people don't need your wisdom, but they do need your presence and your attention. Remember that you, too, have known the comfort of God in difficult times. Tell them about it.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV)

Sometimes all we can say is "Jesus, Hold Me Now!" He comforts us! In your "Darkest Night," ask Him to Hold You! Love this song and video.

O Me of Little Faith - Part 1

Did you ever notice that when things go bad in your life they seem to always occur in bunches? Many times I have prayed and said to the Lord "Hey, this was bad enough already without You piling on more." Thus, we often find ourselves "venting" our frustrations to God and "at" God." 

Recently I was reflecting on just how bad my situation has become (this is not a "vent" or "rant," just reality as "I" see it through my eyes). I need a job, but I can't physically do it. My pain is worse than it has ever been, yet there is nothing that can be done about it. I need to see my doctor, but I don't have the money. If I did see him, he would refer me to a specialist, but I can't afford them either. There are medicines doctors have recommended that might help me, but I have to tell them that I don't have the money. There are foods that could help me nutritionally, but once again, can't afford them. We only have one vehicle, so even if I wanted to get out of the house, I can't. We can't afford the gas to make trips back and forth to town. We owe thousands of dollars in medical bills that we can't pay. The bill collectors won't leave us alone. We go hundreds of dollars in debt every month with no way to pay it back. We will lose our home eventually because we cannot afford and are not physically able to do basic upkeep on it. We (and many of you) could literally go on and on and on!

The "piling on" becomes a viscous cycle that seems like it will never end. It weighs us down physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It robs us of joy. Worsens our health. Strains our relationships. Makes us feel helpless. Disturbs our sleep. Upsets our stomach. Gives us the "shakes." Raises our blood pressure. Increases our anxiety. Challenges our faith.

It is the mental strain that becomes the most debilitating of all. In his book "The Problem of Pain," C.S. Lewis wrote:

“Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say “My tooth is aching” than to say “My heart is broken.”

As I looked at just how bad things seemed to be in my life, I realized two things. First, all around this country there are a lot of people who face similar or worse difficulties in their lives. There are millions of families, like ours, that have to make gut-wrenching decisions every month. Choices between food, medicine, doctor visits, health insurance, gas, utilities, clothing and shoes for themselves or their children, etc. Which ones to pay and which ones to do without. Secondly, as Christians, I realized that when we find ourselves in such circumstances, we should be MORE dependent on the Lord than we have ever been in our lives. But that is seldom the case. Why is that?

When we contemplate our difficulties, we come to our own conclusions about what is going on. Obviously, God has not come through to help us. It seems that our prayers have not been heard, much less answered. Surely, God knows that our circumstances hinder our testimony about what He means in our life. Just think of all the good we could do for the Lord if He would just remove these burdens. What possible "good" does all of this suffering and anguish achieve? Why do "those people" not have to suffer? They are far worse than I am! Lord, it's just not fair! To which the Lord would reply something like this, "Read My Word from cover to cover and show me where I ever said that life was fair? In fact I said just the opposite."

One thing I have learned through all of this is that my own perspective about these things is wrong! I don't mean occasionally wrong or just a little wrong, but WRONG with a capital W!

You see, I (and most of you) see our lives and circumstances with extremely limited vision and knowledge. We are limited to what we can see, hear, touch, and smell. Furthermore, our minds are limited by our own beliefs as to what is possible. For example, the account I gave in the first paragraph was strictly the "facts" of my situation. The context for those "facts" arose from my own feeble attempt to understand them. "I" made the assessment that, in my view, things were going to hell in a hand-basket. "I" deduced God's lack of effort in our circumstances solely from the "facts" as "I" knew them. Therefore, the assumptions "I" made were limited to what "I" know. So, naturally, my response to the situation is limited to "me." No wonder things seem so bleak and hopeless. No wonder peace and contentment were nowhere to be found.

In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul wrote:

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.(Philippians 4:11-12 (ESV)" 

The key word in this passage is the word "learned." Notice that Paul did not say that contentment came naturally to him. He did not say that all of his education and training helped him one bit when it came to contentment. In fact, earlier in chapter 3, Paul said that all of the things that he had thought were important or made him important were nothing but "rubbish (or dung)." All that mattered was Jesus:

" I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7-8 (NLT)

Paul said that he "learned" how to be content. How did he do that? By going through difficulties and circumstances in his life. How can we know what contentment is like unless we experience turmoil and distress first? How can we know just how good God is, if we had not first experienced life without Him? Those who do not have a relationship with Christ live a life seeking light and meaning in a world that knows only darkness. Followers of Christ are to have a different perspective:

 John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

John 12:46 "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness."

In the "Darkest Night," Christians should take comfort in the Light of the World. The HOPE we are looking for is not in the payment of bills, relief from pain, healing of our infirmities, or anything else. Our HOPE is in Jesus. He has total control over our situation. In the blink of an eye, He could make everything that seems wrong in our lives disappear. Why doesn't He? Because He wants you and me to trust Him no matter what. To be satisfied with what we have instead of what we don't have. To be willing to say, "Lord, I don't understand why You have put me in this position. Honestly, I don't like it one bit. But, I have learned over the years that trying to live my life by trusting in my own abilities, judgement, and wisdom have failed miserably. When I try to fix things, they only get worse. I acknowledge, Lord, that there is a peace that passes all understanding available to me if I but trust You to carry me through this Dark Night."

The prophet Habakkuk shows us exactly how we are to live in light of circumstances that make no sense, seem to be unfair, and happen to people who don't deserve it. When God told Habakkuk that He was sending the ungodly Babylonians to take His people in Jerusalem captive and march them to Babylon for their refusal to obey the Lord, Habakkuk could not believe it. A good and merciful God wouldn't do such a thing. God said "the just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). 

Just what did God mean by that? He meant that those who truly follow Him must have a faith that says that no matter how bad things are or seem to be, I will trust that God will work it out. No matter what! Habakkuk put it this way:

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV) 

When our faith allows us to rejoice in the Lord in spite of pain, financial hardship, physical infirmities, loss of jobs, and anything else you would add to the list, then we have found the contentment and peace we so desperately seek.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,"(Romans 5:1-4 (ESV)

The things that are going on in your life and mine have a purpose. The process God uses is difficult to undergo, but the process leads to greater endurance, character, and hope. 

So, now go back and reexamine just how bad things seem to be in your life now that you can do so by seeing them as God sees them. I did! Now I don't see difficulties, but opportunities. I don't see hopelessness, but abounding hope and joy. I don't see a God who is indifferent, but a God who cares for me more deeply than I could have imagined. I don't see darkness, but wonderful and brilliant light. I see Jesus in all my circumstances, and suddenly, my circumstances are no longer mine, but His. I can rest in perfect assurance that He has it all under control. What a relief! What a blessing! What a Savior!

Watch and listen to the video below. It has been a great blessing to me on many a Dark Night!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUWbmtbzDno