The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. – Nahum 1:7
One of the roads in my neighborhood has some potholes. When I drive down that road, I carefully try to avoid them, but they are hard to see when it is dark outside. Consequently, periodically I drive over one, and the result is not pleasant. I can be jostled from side to side, objects in the car are likely to fall over, and I even worry about potential damage to the car itself.
Those potholes remind me of the trials that come along in life. The redeemed of the Lord are traveling on the highway to Heaven, but we are not in Heaven yet, so we can expect to encounter a few potholes along the way.
Potholes in the road of life come in many forms. They could be a disagreement with a friend, the loss of a job, or a difficult situation at work. They can be so small that we barely notice them, like a frustrating encounter with a repair service or a contrary neighbor. Or, they can be very large and difficult to deal with, such as the loss of a loved one or a severe illness. These trials are sure to befall everyone—saved and unsaved alike. However, if we are children of God, we have the benefit of being able to take our problems to our Heavenly Father. Instead of becoming distressed during hardships, we can pray, and our focus verse says that He will be for us a “strong hold in the day of trouble.” He will take the heavy end of the load!
We must always be vigilant to look for and try to avoid obstacles in the road when it is possible; but in those times that we cannot see ahead, we must trust the Lord to guide us. One beloved hymn entitled, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” has these lyrics:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged.
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Remember to take advantage of that advice, and you will find that God helps you get past the potholes of life!