11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”
12 Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.
13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.” Mark 1:9-13.
When I read this Scripture today, it seemed worthy of comment that immediately after God’s glorious affirmation of Christ through a voice out of the heavens (“You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”), Jesus did not get a fun party or a peaceful retreat, rather Jesus was impelled to go into the wilderness for 40 days of temptation. I think that there is a lesson here for us.
Likewise, we may be sent into a difficult situation. However, just because we may be in a difficult situation, it does not necessarily mean that God is displeased with us. I say “necessarily”, because there certainly may be times when God punishes us or otherwise allows us to experience difficult situations due to our own actions. But, we can take encouragement from this Scripture that God may want us exactly where we are in that difficult situation. God may also be well-pleased with us in that difficult situation.
Moreover, we should be careful about how we view others in difficult situations. We should not assume that they have been greater sinners and are being solely punished because they were worse. Consider Luke 13:1-5. “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:1-5.
Hebrews 11, the Chapter of the “Hall of Faith”, tells us of those saints, who were well-pleasing to God, but who “… experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:36-40.
In conclusion, so let us have wisdom, faith, and sympathy in difficult situations. Let us have wisdom in distinguishing and determining why we or others are in a difficult situation and ask God for wisdom to properly understand and properly respond. Generally, when we are “innocent”, let us have faith to persevere and believe that God does love us and is pleased with us even when we are in difficult situations through no fault of ours. Generally, it is much more difficult to assess the cause of the difficult situation of others, so let us have more sympathy when seeing others in difficult situations that God may love them and be pleased with them as well. Rather than scoff or slander them, let us help them and pray for them.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 