The first thing you do when calamity strikes determines the next thing God does in response to your calamity.
Until you are ready to take pain and pleasure with equanimity and still serve God irrespective of your situation you will be a fair weather Christian.
Consider Job. In the space of a few minutes he heard that Sabeans had carried of his livestock, a natural disaster had destroyed his sheep, Chaldeans had made off with his camels and all his children had died, yet he immediately “fell to the ground in worship” – Job 1:20.
Is it any wonder God delivered Job and gave him double what he lost? Are you the type of Christian that shouts hallelujah when good things come then withdraws from God when evil things happen? Or are you like Job who proclaimed “though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” – Job 13:15.
The Bible does not say we should praise God only when good happens. It says “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
Reno Omokri is the pastor of the Mind of Christ Christian Center and author of Shunpiking No Shortcuts To God. He can be reached on Twitter @renoomokri.
