God allows trials to bring us closer to Him. It’s so easy to ‘forget’ God in the daily events of our busy lives.

Today is 9/11/14, the anniversary of a horrible event 13 years ago; yet America rallied together in a way not seen in years. Flags were flying everywhere, not just on public flagpoles, but people’s homes, people’s cars, motorcycles, clothing… People began to talk openly about God and church again. Prayer was needed and done—not pushed aside as incorrect behavior. We took that awful event and began to pull together with God’s help to be a better, whole nation again.

Our trials show us we cannot make it on our own. We need our great big wonderful God. He is a gentleman and will not force himself upon us, but allows things to happen until we figure it out that we really do need Him and then He says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will be found”, Psalm 50:15.

Time after time, Israel in the Old Testament left God to go other ways and got themselves into all kinds of trouble…and God allowed it… not to destroy them but to help them realize that He was the way.  And all they had to do was follow Him and everything would be OK. So after things got unbearable, they would turn back to God in total regret for what they’d done and God would instantly hear, forgive, restore and bless them again.

He was willing and watching and waiting for them to come. This cycle was repeated over and over.

And this pattern is happening today with God’s people! We, all of God’s people, who are children of Abraham because of our faith in Jesus, have to guard against leaving God when the trials come. God said He wouldn’t always deliver us from trials, but He would bring us through them. And He said all of Abraham’s blessings would come upon us if we follow Him. Deuteronomy 28:1, 2

He is the one who gives the promises to us, ‘Return to Me that I may return to you!’ Zechariah 1:3

God looks to bless His people. He is not out to do His people harm. John 3:16, 17 says God didn’t send Jesus into this world to condemn us, but that through Him we might be saved from what we’ll do to ourselves if we don’t follow Him.

God is for us!

Be for Him!