Right-click to download PDF version

Here’s an important principle to remember when trials and tests overtake you.

      What has YAHWEH promised Believers in this life? A smooth and trouble-free existence?

       To be sure, YAHWEH could give every conceivable physical and material blessing to all of His people at this time. He could here and now grant their every desire. He could make their lives problem free. He could. But He doesn’t. Nor did He ever promise that He would!

      You will search the Scriptures in vain for an Elohim-like person who lived a consistently smooth, cushy life. YAHWEH’s servants from Abel to Yahshua and on through the New Testament to modern times have experienced difficulties that might seem to be at variance with what some scriptures promise. But is that possible?

      “The heaven and the earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away, never,” Yahshua stated (Matthew 24:35). YAHWEH always keeps His promises. His Word cannot be broken.

      The difficulty arises when people misunderstand various scriptures. They assume these scriptures to unconditionally promise what in reality they do not at all promise.

Unconditional promises?

Take for example, Psalm 34:9. David wrote: “Fear YAHWEH, His Holy ones, for they who fear Him lack nothing.”

Can a believer look at this as an unconditional promise that he or she will never be in physical or material need of any kind? If that were the case, how could the Apostle Paul write that he “learned…to suffer need” (Philippians 4:12)?

The fact is there were times when he was “in hardship and toil, in sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, through much fasting, in cold and nakedness” (2nd Corinthians 11:27).

Psalm 34:9 is not an unconditionally binding promise of physical and material plenty. David himself, the author of these words, certainly met with his share of serious problems and disappointments in life.

What YAHWEH’s people are assured of not lacking, though, is anything that is really important. Important for what? For their uninterrupted physical comfort or enjoyment? No, for their ultimate good—for their eternal, spiritual welfare. That very eternal, spiritual welfare, though, may at times require being in need physically. Paul said, “For when I am physically weak, then I am spiritually strong” (2nd Corinthians 12:10).

It is important to understand that many passages in the Bible are statements expressing not what YAHWEH unconditionally will do now in every case, but what YAHWEH can do and would like to do for us. The fulfillment is always conditional on it promoting YAHWEH’s plan and being in our best interests. What is more, YAHWEH doesn’t always specify exactly when He will act.

YAHWEH, “who gives food to the hungry…sets free the prisoners… opens the eyes of the blind…raises those bowed down…but He warps the way of the wicked” (Psalm 146:7-9).

Such verses describe YAHWEH’s greatness. Our Elohim is the Elohim who does these things. That’s the kind of Elohim He is. But he doesn’t do them now in every case, as is easily observable. He does them or will do them if and when it is appropriate—if and when it is best.

When you ask YAHWEH for something, have faith and trust in His wisdom, His love, His mercy, His power, His care. Have faith that at the right moment He will do what is appropriate—what is for the ultimate good of everyone concerned.

“Trust in Him at all times” (Psalm 62:8). He knows what He is doing.

Better Promises

The Old Covenant was based on physical promises. But the New Covenant is different. Its most important provisions are not for this life, but for the life to come. It is based on better promises (Hebrews 8:6).

Under the New Covenant, what matters most is not physical comfort and material wealth in this life, though some Believers have these. What is most important is the next life and preparations for it.

Though YAHWEH does richly bless His people physically, such blessings are conditional. YAHWEH simply does not bind Himself to grant all physical blessings in this life to all Believers in all circumstances at all times.

We may not be assured of receiving every physical blessing in this life, though, “every spiritual blessing in heaven through Messiah” (Ephesians 1:3) is available.

“YAHWEH will give grace and glory; He will withhold nothing good from those who walk in integrity” (Psalms 84:11). Material blessings may not always be good for us. But the blessings of YAHWEH’s Holy Spirit and the fruits it produces are always good for us. The Holy Spirit is the good gift the Heavenly Father gives “to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13).

Consider the end

Are you being tested right now? Are you undergoing some trial or affliction? Think about this. One of the following must be true: Either YAHWEH is not aware of the difficulties you are facing, or He is aware but doesn’t care. Or He is aware and does care, but is not powerful enough to help. Or—and this is the way it is—He is aware, He cares and He is almighty. He is actively and intricately involved in what is taking place in your life.

YAHWEH’s most fervent desire is to bring us into His eternal Kingdom. Of course, He also wants to bless us in this life. Many scriptures express this.

But if a choice must be made, in spite of how much YAHWEH loves to bless His people materially and physically here and now, His concern for their eternal warfare is so great that He will forego blessing them that way now—even allowing them to suffer “if need be” (1st Peter 1:6)—in order to more abundantly bless them later.

YAHWEH is committed to the plan He has begun for the purpose of enlarging His Family. Our future is so important to YAHWEH that whatever lesson is needed in this life, or whatever it takes to help us build holy, righteous character, YAHWEH will bring it about.

No price is too great—even to the sacrificing of His own Son. How profound is the love of YAHWEH!

“O the depth of the riches and of the wisdom and the knowledge of Elohim! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

YAHWEH promises, though, that no trial will be greater than what a person can stand (1st Corinthians 10:13) and that “all things work together for good, to those being called according to purpose” (Romans 8:28).

So don’t think it strange if you are being tried (1st Peter 4:12-13). Rejoice! YAHWEH is dealing with you as His child (Hebrews 12:7).

YAHWEH is in control

“The name of YAHWEH is a tower of strength, the righteous runs into it and is set on high” (Proverbs 18:10).

YAHWEH promises to safeguard those who belong to Him.

But some have wondered, then, why do serious or fatal accidents and mishaps from time to time occur in the lives of even YAHWEH’s own elect.

YAHWEH is the perfect parent. He knows what we need before we even ask Him (Matthew 6:8). He is intimately aware of every aspect of the lives of His children. Nothing escapes Him.

David realized this. He wrote: “O YAHWEH, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down, and my rising up; You understand my thought from afar off. You sift my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For not a word is on my tongue, but, lo, O YAHWEH, You know it all. You have closed me in behind, and in front, and Your hand is laid on me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is set on high; I am not able to reach it. Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your face?” (Psalm 139:1-7).

Yahshua declared that YAHWEH’s attention encompasses the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:26, 28-29). “Are you not of more value than they?”

Yahshua asked His followers, potential immortal members of YAHWEH’s Family.

Of course. There is no comparison. Considering the tremendous investment YAHWEH has in you, you can be sure He watches over you carefully.

No one is assured of a “charmed” life free of all accidents and mishaps, though. YAHWEH allows such events to happen for our ultimate good. Time and chance happen to all—even to Believers (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

But in the lives of YAHWEH’s elect, time and chance are not allowed to interfere with YAHWEH’s purpose. He doesn’t just keep His distance and permit every event in your life to come to its own natural conclusion even when harmful.

He is aware of and ready to take a hand in what transpires in your life.

The watchful surveillance of His cherubs is part of the attentive care YAHWEH has for His people: “For He shall give His cherubs charge over You, to keep You in all Your ways” (Psalm 91:11).

So, what happens when an automobile wreck or some other untoward incident suddenly occurs in the life of a true believer?

Are YAHWEH’s cherubim looking in the other direction at that moment? Are they somehow distracted long enough for something to happen that interferes with YAHWEH’s purpose?

No, such events don’t “sneak up” on YAHWEH or His cherubim. YAHWEH is in control.

For one thing, we must remember that YAHWEH is not limited by time as we measure or count it. If a day to YAHWEH can be as 1,000 years (2 Peter 3:8), what is a split second to us can be long enough for YAHWEH to make any decisions He may need to make, even while an accident, for example, is taking place.

We find a striking demonstration of this time differential in the accounts concerning Yahshua’s resurrection. One moment His followers were not allowed to cling to Him (John 20:17).

Shortly thereafter His disciples could hold on to Him (Matthew 28:9).

Between those two points, close in time, Yahshua ascended to heaven, was received by the Father—a momentous occasion that certainly was not rushed—and returned to earth. The point is, no untoward event, no accident can hinder YAHWEH’s will. He who “wanted to carry out everything according to the good judgment of His will” (Ephesians 1:11) is able to make all situations turn out for the good of His elect.

When is it too late for YAHWEH?

One of the reasons we mortals often panic when we are faced with huge problems is that we tend to view them from a very human perspective. Being physical, we are deeply aware of physical limitations on everything around us.

We fear going beyond what we can understand.

But YAHWEH is spirit. He knows no limitations. “For all things are possible from YAHWEH” (Mark 10:27). It is never too late for Him to do what is appropriate.

YAHWEH allowed Daniel to be cast into the lions’ den before He intervened (Daniel 6:10-23).

He allowed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- Nego to be thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace before He saved them (Daniel 3:8- 29).

Jeremiah was not delivered from neck-deep slime at the bottom of a cistern until he was first put down there and left to suffocate (Jeremiah 38:6-13).

The Apostle Paul was not freed from imprisonments, shipwrecks, deprivations and numerous other hardships until he first got into them (2nd Corinthians 11:23-27).

These servants of YAHWEH came through such predicaments because it is never too late for YAHWEH to do His will.

When Yahshua was informed that His beloved friend Lazarus was very sick, Yahshua didn’t rush right over to be with him. Yahshua stayed where He was for two whole days, during which Lazarus died (John 11:5-6).

Poor Lazarus. Did that mean it was too late for Yahshua to help him, as various individuals thought it was (verses 21,32,37)? Of course not. When Yahshua finally arrived, He raised Lazarus from the dead, for even death does not hinder YAHWEH’s purpose!

YAHWEH has the last word. He does “whatever He pleases,” whenever He pleases (Psalm 115:3). We need to learn that whatever YAHWEH pleases to do in our lives, whenever He pleases to do it, is good, and for our good.