Proverbs 24.10 If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small!

God has recorded for all posterity that He created humanity in His image, in the image of God, He made both male and female. Christianity and Judaism are the only religions with such an opinion of both men and women, but I digress.

God’s view of humanity is that we are made in His image. Therefore, we are great thinkers, awesome problem solvers, and working together capable of almost anything (Genesis 11.6).

As a result of this high opinion by God about us, He is often content to allow us to work our way out of difficulties, especially when we can incorporate the good will of others to help solve the problem. In fact, He takes great delight when His children help one another particularly in their time of need.

God identifies as a trademark characteristic of His children the love they share for one another. God is love: in essence, in character, in nature, in expression, so when His people demonstrate love for one another He proclaims that everyone watching will know we are the true children of God.

The Bible is likewise clear, the world is broken due to humanity’s rebellion against God and due to heaven’s rebellion against God led by a group of angels who thought they could overthrow Him. This reality is why we suffer, why life is hard, why we die, and why all the bad things that happen in the world occur.

In the world to come, the world God promises will come, when He lives on the new earth with us ruling among us, all of the bad things we experience including death will no longer exist. Instead, we will continue to work together to accomplish amazing things but this time without tragedy, injustice or calamity.

In the meantime, God says to us, ‘be strong.’ We can certainly cry to Him for help but don’t be surprised if He responds, ‘get up,’ ‘brush yourself off,’ ‘get going again,’ ‘you can do this.’

God believes in us and that we are capable of far more than we are willing to believe in ourselves or our effort at trying.