In my youthful 41 years on Earth, I’ve found that my present situations or problems always give the appearance of being larger than life.
There is no pain like that of the present. We make mistakes, bad choices, pick wrong crowds, say negative comments, etc. And we find that after everything we’ve gone through, God still is there.
The Bible tells us that our days are filled with trouble, but how will you handle the trouble that comes your way?
I choose Christ.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” It’s difficult to trust someone whom you’ve never seen, touched or verbally communicated with. However, when you have enough faith to trust God, He delivers every time.
Growing up, I would hear the older church ladies get up and say, “He’s a present help, in the time of storm!” As the storms of life begin to rage, it seems as if we’re being tossed to and fro. But our trust in God becomes our anchor and enables us to stand the tests and continue to move forward. When you lean closer to God, even your worst mess becomes subject to His favor.
In the book of Genesis, Abraham came to a challenging point in his life. When he couldn’t understand what God was doing, God simply asked him, “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?”
While we’re trying to figure things out, God is working them out. Our responsibility is to keep Him first. Acknowledge Him in your home, on your job and during whatever you do. Your priority should be Christ.
I’ve gone many crooked ways in my life, but the Lord has always reeled me back in.
And looking back, it was always during a time when I didn’t understand what was going on. I would try to fix things by myself, but without making God a part of the equation, I would fail every time. When I chose Christ, things began to straighten out.
Every day, we are surrounded by trouble and faced with a choice — leave or stay, fight or run, move or stand still, whatever your choice may be. Choose Christ; acknowledge the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Only He can make your crooked paths straight.
Trust in Him and choose Christ!

Hayes is the Pastor of New Day Community Church and the President of the United Ministerial Alliance.