Not everyone will be ready

I’ve often been impressed at what happens during a crisis or disaster. People divide up into several types. Some stand there helplessly and just scream; they are like clueless children who literally have to be picked up and carried to a safe place. Others stampede out the door in order to save their own necks, even if it means killing someone who stands in their way. A few, however, have their wits about them. They are trying to keep their cool; they are trying to figure out the situation in the confusion. They formulate a plan not only to survive, but also to help others around them.

All three of those types sit beside you right now in your church. When times are good and secure, you have little idea of what is actually in your heart or the hearts of your fellow Christians. You don’t know how you will react in a disaster. Only when our lives fall apart, when society, law and order, and health and wealth disintegrate around us, do we find out what we are really made of. Those who ignored the plea to train will simply stand there helplessly and scream, and go down with the chaos. Those who are only looking out for themselves will turn into Judases. Those who are already trained in the spiritual life, however, will not only survive the disaster but will be tremendous blessings to those whom they can reach.

God uses hardships to reveal the true state of our hearts. The real risk in trials is not losing what you have in this world, but losing your soul. The first thought of a true Christian is not, “How can I preserve my comfortable life?” But, “What is my standing before God?” Am I a Christian? Am I standing on the Rock from Heaven? Or am I fooling myself, and about to go down with the rest of the world as it collapses? In such times, God is revealing the true foundation under our feet. He has good reason for doing this, though it will be a very unpleasant experience.

Most people have been fooling themselves. They aren’t standing on what they claim to be standing on. But only a storm that sweeps away the physical props under their feet will show this.

If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! (Proverbs 24:10)

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)