Chaplains Corner: The power of faith in times of crisis

By Colin Johnson, Neighbourhood Chaplain, Hockliffe Street Baptist Church.

When facing a crisis, we may think that God has left us. We can feel swept away in the storms of life. But God is always there.

This week, I visited someone who shared the story of her challenging life. She had lived a long life and had experienced much disappointment and pain. At one point, she lost both her job and her home, leaving her with few possessions and an uncertain future, living with family. The lowest period was when her partner was seriously injured in an accident, and she became his full-time carer before he sadly died. Despite everything she has endured, she has not become bitter. Instead, she reflected that throughout every trial, God has remained with her, giving her the strength and support she needed and hope to keep going.

Stories like this abound in the Bible. There are accounts where trouble, loss and failure do not mean God has become distant; rather, God is revealed walking alongside, step by step. The book of Ruth opens with Naomi experiencing deep grief, having lost both her husband and sons in a foreign land. Ruth, her daughter-in-law, leaves her homeland with her mother-in-law to journey to Israel. Together, these two widows find themselves destitute and desperate until hope comes in the form of a stranger whom Ruth eventually marries. The story ends with the joy of a child, who became the grandfather of King David, making Ruth an ancestor of Jesus. Through this story of redemption, God shows how He weaves bad circumstances into good outcomes. As stated in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”.

When you go through hard times, remember: God is always with you, and Jesus understands your trials because he himself suffered. Pray that God will give you a strong sense of his presence when you need it and become your anchor in the storm.