“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).

Yesterday we saw that the LORD doesn’t deliver us out of trouble or hardship but promises to be present with us in trouble and hardship.

Today’s verse tells us that the LORD will sustain us in troubling and hard times. Again, what we would prefer is that the LORD rescue us from trouble and hardship. Why doesn’t the LORD rescue us from trouble and hardship? Why does the LORD promise to sustain us in troubling and hard times?

Listen. God is more interested in shaping our character and our spiritual growth than he is in our comfort. Comfort and rest will come. Comfort and rest will be our reality when we are reunited with Christ in eternity. But until then we are on a journey to spiritual maturity and growth.

Comfort and growth; comfort and maturity almost never go together.

Character is shaped through the battles that test our resolve and commitment. Maturity develops as we overcome hardship and difficulties.

We are in training. God is more interested in shaping us into the character of Christ and our spiritual maturity than he is in our comfort. Whatever trouble or hardship you may be facing today, know you are not alone. Christ is with you and the LORD will sustain you. You are a work in progress. God is at work in you.

And for that, we are grateful.

“He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him” (Psalm 91:15).

Did you catch that?

When we find ourselves in trouble and we call on God, God promises to answer. So far so good.

This is where we would all expect God to say, “And I will deliver him from trouble.” That’s what I would want.

• I’m in trouble. Get me out!!!
• This hurts. Get me out!!!
• Rescue me from this danger. Get me out!!!

Whatever trouble I might be facing, if God promises to answer me, I want him to get me out.

But that’s not what God promises. God promises to answer our prayers and be with us in trouble.

Say what?!?!

God doesn’t promise to deliver us out of trouble, but promises to be with us in trouble.

What is that about?

Jesus told his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

In this world – where we are living in the in-between period of God’s kingdom at hand and not yet fulfilled – we will face tribulation. That is life. In this world where God continues to give sinners and saints free will, we will face tribulation.

But Christ has overcome this world.

Christ wins. The ending of the story of God’s creation is clear. It has already been written. Christ wins. God receives glory and honor. In the meantime, there will be trouble. But just as sure as there will be trouble, we can rest assured in that Christ has overcome this world. Because of that truth, Christ is present with us in good times and the bad.

• There is nothing in the good times that can add to God’s glory.
• And there is nothing in the hard times that can take away from God’s glory.
• Good times and bad, it all leads to God’s glory.

That’s good news.

God is present with us in good times and bad. And his presence is all we need.

“I have the right to do anything,” – you say – but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything,” – but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

To make sense of these verses, we need to see that there are two voices:

• One voice says, “I have the right to do anything.”
• The Apostle Paul says, “Not everything is beneficial nor constructive. You should not seek your own good but the good of others.”

I have the right and the freedom to act like a jerk. That is totally within my rights. But it is neither beneficial nor constructive. It does not seek the good of others.

I have the right to watch porn. It is totally within my rights to do so. But it is neither beneficial nor constructive. It does not seek the good of others. It is purely for the purpose of the self.

I have the right to lie. That is totally within my rights. But it is neither beneficial nor constructive. It harms others. It only attempts to protect the self.

The principle is to do those things that benefit others, those things that build up others, and those things that seek the good of others.

Notice that this seeks the “good” of others. It is not mere acquiescing to the wants of others. In fact, oftentimes, doing so would lead to more harm for the other than good. What is good is not determined by me, nor the other. God determines what is good and what is best. God and his word is the standard that determines what is good.

So, in treating others:

• Do that which is beneficial to others
• Do that which builds up the other
• Do that which is good for the other

This is how Jesus lived. Be like Jesus.