I have had a number of recent conversations with people whose lives have been ravaged by sinful addictions, vices, and immoral decisions. All of them have struggled deeply with their faith in the midst of their trials. Some have pushed God to the margins. In reading through the book of Joel, we find an event that is descriptive of my friends' experiences. They feel as if wave after wave of difficulty have come upon them, robbing them of life.
"What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten." Joel 1:4
There have been times of great plagues in which locusts have destroyed people's lives because they came in gigantic swarms and ate plants, crops, and everything green in their path. This was the experience of the people of Judah to whom Joel was writing. Whether their was an actual locust infestation, or Joel was using this as a metaphor for a military force that wrought the same devastation as locusts, is hard to know. What we can say is people's lives were devastated. It is evident that God was using this devastation to discipline them in order to bring them to repentance. I don't know if you can relate to these people. Perhaps your life has been or is being ravaged right now. Maybe you know someone who is in great tribulation. Whichever of these is true, I want to give three quick thoughts on this subject from two very small books in the Bible: Joel and Jude (recent readings from our One Year Bible outline). Lastly I want to point to an encouraging promise from the end of the book of Joel. Each thought is applied to one of three situations:
Walking away from God:
"'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."
Joel 2:12-13
God is calling to you to cry out to Him, return to Him, and repent. He is our Heavenly Father waiting for His prodigal sons or daughters to return.
Struggling with faith:
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life." Jude 1:21
The call from Jude is to remain in relationship with Jesus Christ, to keep pursuing God, seeking Him. Jude wrote very plainly about the temptations the world offers and the sinful desires that we experience. Those that love God are those who follow His commands. Keeping in the love of God means pro-actively keeping to His Word as you wait for deliverance. The waiting described here is not a passive, inactive waiting. Press on to know the Lord as you wait for mercy.
Walking beside a struggling friend:
"And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh." Jude 1:22-23
Be gracious, merciful, and patient to those who are struggling. Don't be overly harsh, but that doesn't mean we are not seeking to speak truth to them that they might be snatched from the fire. Show mercy with fear, meaning be appropriately fearful of the sinful addictions and temptations that have ensnared them lest we get caught as well. Don't desire, but despise the sin, even as you embrace the one caught in the sin, desiring their deliverance.
The Promise:
It is easy to despair for those who are ensnared and deeply caught up in sinful patterns. At times when I look at how sin has ravaged relationships, livelihoods, emotional/mental well-being, even bodies, I get so discouraged. Then I read God's promise to the people of Judah after their locust plague.
"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten." Joel 2:25
This gives me great hope that God can and will redeem. He alone can bring about good in lives that have been destroyed. This draws me to my knees to pray more fervently for my friends. Trusting that though they have faltered, they will not fall.
"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." Jude 1:24-25
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