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God is there in difficult times
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
-Isaiah 41:10
We have all had difficult moments in our lives. The Pandemic stressed the fiber of our society and our relationships with others. It is at these moments that we can be reassured that God is there for us.
On a recent family vacation to St. Simons Island with my family, I received a greater understanding of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. Born in England and a student at Oxford, John was the son of an Anglican Minister and followed in his footsteps. In his 20’s he decided to go to America to evangelize and minister to others in the colonies. He landed in Savannah and began ministering to the “primitive Christianity”, challenging him with hardships. He attempted to mission to Indians, but he felt they “would recruit me”.
When his brother fell ill, he spent time in Frederica, a British colony on St. Simons, taking over duties of his brother while maintaining his responsibilities in Savannah. His stay was controversial, as he fell in love with a woman who rebuked him for another. He got embroiled in court proceedings for not serving her communion. A mess, he slipped out of Frederica one night and returned to England.
When he returned, a somewhat failure, he nevertheless felt a new “spirit” within him. His difficult recent past had invigorated him and would soon form the Methodist Societies, which became the Methodist Church. Wesley used those difficult times to feel the presence of God and steal him for his future.
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