Trouble may be looming but .....

Matthew 26:38-39 (ESV)

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch[a] with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Just before World War II, Iceland was going through a harsh economic time known as "the Depression". Many were unemployed and in despair.

As Iceland is a nation consisting largely of Christians, many were praying to God for relief, but "not my will, but Yours will be done."

Then, to make things worse, World War II broke out. As Iceland had no army, they would be prone for an easy invasion by the Germans. The outlook became dimmer and dimmer.

On May 10, 1940, six months after World War II was declared, British warships headed for Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, and Iceland fell under British occupation.

It looks like things got even worse, doesn't it? The only problem is many Icelanders refer to this time period as the "Blessed War". You see, although their country was occupied and many soldiers lost their lives at sea, the presence of the British soldiers, and eventually the American military, revived the Icelandic economy, bringing considerable relief to the impoverished country.

But that's not all. Although Iceland had been ruled by the Danish for several centuries, World War II also brought an ironic end to this. With Denmark occupied by the Germans from April 9, 1940 onward, all communication between Iceland and her mother country ceased. This gave Icelanders the opportunity to hold a referendum, and on June 17, 1944 they became an independent republic.

We never know what the future holds for us, but one thing we do know for sure is that our future, as believers in the Almighty God, is guaranteed. We have nothing to fear. If we are going through troubled times and we find ourselves in total despair, we need to realize that this is our opportunity to either trust in God or not.

When broken, we can either flourish or perish. It all depends on Who we put our trust in! Letting God lead the way is always our best option, for only then can we truly shine.

Trouble may be looming in the horizon, but God is way above any of these circumstances. His glory will be revealed. It's our choice to be part of it or not.

Dear Lord, help us keep our trust in You no matter the circumstances. Help us to always be in Your will.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.