"Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen....'. How dare we??!!
There are few things the devil likes more than to get you believing that you're the only one going through a tough time. He wants you to feel alone, forsaken, and forgotten. If he can pull it off, you will drop your guard, lower your shield of faith and be wide open for his more tireless assaults. Don't let him win, my sister! Keep a firm grip on your faith, my brother!
Peter goes on to say, "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. " (1 Peter 5:10). The next time you're feeling all alone, and deep down inside you hear the rumblings of that old song — "O nobody knows the trouble I seen" — stop right there. EVERYBODY knows! We are all going through it with you. Stop your whining; it's embarrassing.
We have to let the world see that Christians have the upper hand. We must let them see that we are more than conquerors thru Him that loved us. Paul and Silas were in a dungeon chained to the wall and surrounded by rats. They started singing PRAISE TO GOD and the devil started shaking in his boots! He shook so hard that an earthquake happened, which broke the chains and opened up the prison doors — setting Paul and Silas free.
So the next time you feel like belting out a 'woe as me' hymnal, remember Whose you are. Instead of moaning about your troubles, start singing praise to God — you just might be the one that causes a prison break for the rest of us!