Facing Plenty
Abiding When Abounding
“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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
A couple of weeks ago, I was going through it. My heart was heavy and my spirit burdened. I prayed and read my bible almost all day long: before work, during my lunch break, and at multiple points of the day. The turmoil in my soul drove me to the Lord. Like a parched land, my whole being thirsted for him. I knew he was the only one who could comfort and help me. But as things got better, I started to slow it down. This week, I was back into the storm again and guess what? I have been praying, worshiping and reading my bible constantly.
But it got me thinking: what is it about hardships that draws us near to God? Why am I only this thirsty for God when struggling? Why are my prayers so heartfelt and my bible reading so life-giving in such times?
God’s Megaphone
In his book The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis said: “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” While I agree with Lewis, I think it is our heart postures that changes depending on our circumstances, not God’s ‘loudness’. God is near the brokenhearted because the brokenhearted is contrite in spirit. The truth is, our souls always thirst for God. But it often takes suffering for us to realize how much. Suffering humbles us. It (sometimes quite brutally) awakens us to reality — a reality we can only properly deal with when hoping in God.
I hate this time of turmoil but I love how sweet my fellowship with Abba Father has been. It would be wonderful to hear God’s megaphone always, both in sorrow and joy. How can we do that? How can we cultivate eagerness for the Lord in any and every circumstance?
Contentment When Abounding
We tend to think of contentment only in the context of lack, want or suffering. But in Philippians 4:11, Paul says: ‘I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content’. In good times, we need to be strengthened in our Faith and be content just as much as in difficult times. In good times, the lack of felt need easily blinds us to our chief need; we have a sense of control, security and fulfilment rooted in other things than God.
Facing Plenty
Isn’t this phrase interesting: ‘facing plenty’? ‘Facing hunger’ makes sense but ‘facing plenty’ sounds like a contradiction. It is not. Plenty and hunger could both weaken our faith. They can both feed unbelief. In hunger or need, we face the temptation to disbelieve God’s Goodness. In plenty and abundance, we face the temptation to disbelieve God’s all-sufficiency and surpassing worth.
Abounding and Abiding
So what is the secret of facing plenty and facing need? It is one and the same. It is abiding in Jesus. He is the one who strengthens us in any and every circumstance. As we trust in him, plenty and hunger become instruments in his hands to grow our faith - not weaken it. More specifically, knowing Jesus and the power of His Gospel shields our faith from the fiery darts of unbelief. In him, we understand that God is working all things together for our good even in hardships. He who did not spare his own son for us, how will he not also with him graciously give us all good things? In him, we equally understand that the deep longings of our hearts point us to God and that nothing else can satisfy. Through Christ life, death and resurrection, God has secured for us an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading and all-fulfilling! No earthly possessions even comes close.
‘Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.’ - James 5:13
