PEACE IN YOUR SITUATION

God's Word does not flatter us as some would have us believe like, the fairy tale stories that we read to our children at bedtime. The problem with fairy tales is that they subvert reality. Some even go as far as presenting the idea that our goodness and little faith can secure us from our troubles, but the scriptures speak more of the reality that we live in and warns us over and over again, to expect troubles as long as we live in this world. Our faith is meant to prevail us through any hard time that may come our way. Any promise outside the boundaries of scripture only risk modifying the beautiful simplicity of God’s redemptive plan for our lives. Our afflictions come from all points of life's compass, and are far too many to count. Psalm 34:19a tells us that, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous..".  

It is our human lot to find thorns and briars growing in our pathway and even in our lying down amongst them. Psalm 34:19b goes on to say, "but the Lord delivered him out of them all". One day God shall lead his redeemed scathed-less and triumphant from the fiery trials of this world to the next, for there is an end to the believer's affliction, and a joyful end too! None of the enemy's trials can hurt so much as a hair on our head, neither can the furnace hold our spirit for even a moment when the Lord bids us home. But until that time comes, Job 14:1 reminds us that "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Our troubles may be many in number, strange in their nature, heavy in measure of them, but God's mercies are more numerous, His wisdom more wondrous and His power more miraculous. He promises His children that He will deliver them out of all of them, at His appointed time. While a lawyer can deliver his client from his charge, a physician may deliver his patient from an illness, a banker may lend money until the borrower's pockets are full, and in his heart man can plan his course and set his way, but according to Proverbs 16:9 it is the Lord that directs his steps. Do you ever get discouraged? Sure you do and so do I. In fact sometimes it feels like the world itself is against us, and we are overcome with feelings that "no one really cares" and "nothing seems to work out".

Sometimes we get discouraged because of our past regrets, and sometimes we get discouraged because God so clearly has not answered a certain prayer as we cry out for help, when and the way we want Him to. We pray for sunshine He sends rain. Discouragement is a real feeling, and it’s a real tool the enemy uses to come against us. If you let it sink in, discouragement will press you down, take you out and hinder you from doing what the Lord has called you to do. Yet, in our discouragement, there is hope! Psalms 34:17-18 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit." Today sweet friend if you are discouraged and need something more tangible to hold on to, than a fairy tale dream, turn to the One who knows you best and is waiting for you to seek Him with a humble and contrite heart. Get a Bible and dig around, searching through verses. Find verses that encourages you in the Lord. A merry heart does good like a medicine. Proverbs 17:22

Find out what God says about your situation and then trust His Word. It has power to give life, if you let it penetrate your heart. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalms 34:19 I think we often times misunderstand God's way of delivering us out of our trials. We doubt and become discouraged because God does not give us the kind of deliverance we want. While we want out of the situation God may be wanting us to find peace within our situation. You see sweet friend He is the peace that we seek not simply freedom from the circumstance. The most obvious biblical example of the false equation of this kind is in the book of Job. As Job’s family is killed, his financial status in ruin, and his health poor, Job’s friends surround him to convince him that his plight is the result of his sin. Yet it absolutely was not! Job learned to worship in spite of his situation which brought honor to God and blessing to Job. I pray today that if you are discouraged that Jesus will lift your spirit and whisper truth in your ear. Run to Him to find peace in your situation!

 

Hold Fast,

-Ben