James 5:13

13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

NLT

No one is exempt from going through bad times, but please do not forget that we have many good times also. Whether everything is great or it just totally stinks, God should always have our attention.

The last time I went to Disney World, I knew I was in for a great day. How could it not be? I was in the “Happiest Place on Earth.” However, as I looked around at this happy place, I started to think. In this giant playground, there was a lost child, a man nursing a painful sunburn, a little one who had fallen and skinned her knee and a crying baby. I couldn’t help but think, even in the happiest place on earth, there is still suffering.

Even in church on Sunday mornings, there may be someone hurting or in pain, even though church is a very happy place. Check out Psalms Chapter 20. (Awesome).

Psalms 20

1 In times of trouble, may the LORD respond to your cry. May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.

2 May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.

3 May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Interlude

4 May he grant your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans.

5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God. May the LORD answer all your prayers.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed king. He will answer him from his holy heaven and rescue him by his great power.

7 Some nations boast of their armies and weapons,  but we boast in the LORD our God.

8 Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.

9 Give victory to our king, O LORD! Respond to our cry for help.

NLT

For some, our happiest place is with our family and friends or taking a walk on the beach.  We cannot escape suffering; no matter how hard we try we are not exempt. Sometimes, suffering is used for correcting, sometimes it is used for God’s glory, sometimes it is used to build our character and sometimes one person suffers for another’s benefit. Yet, there are times when we really don’t understand why others or we, ourselves, are suffering. Like Job from the Bible, we must seek to trust God and endure because we win when we do!

As Christians, we have a better happy place than Disney World. We have a happy place found in the presence of the Lord. If God could hear Jonah’s cry from inside the whale, then I am sure he can hear your cry. One thing is for sure: if we are suffering in any way, then we should be praying and talking to God a lot. What do you think?

Perhaps you are in a season of hurt or suffering right now. In this moment, it may not be clear why your suffering is happening. Your role in this season is to spend time with and reach out to the Lord, knowing He will help you through this trial with His strength. In this way, at the end of the day, you will be able to rejoice in who God is. James 5:13 says we should pray and praise God during the good times and the bad. In good or bad times, we better be spending time with God. Our happy place is in the presence of the Lord.

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church