I will rejoice and be glad in Your love because You saw my suffering. You knew my troubles. You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place. (vs. 7-8)
I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord. The Lord answered me and set me free. Psalm 118
We have troubles all around us, be we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. 11 Corinthians 4
Trouble. Metsar. Anguish. An ever-tighter space. No room to breathe. Fewer and fewer options. The four walls around you pressing in, leaving you cramped and unable to move freely. And you cannot imagine the way out. Perplexed by the situation, you are tempted to give up. I have said, in times when I did not understand (which is more often than I want to admit), "What are You doing, Lord?" The circumstances seemed counterintuitive to what I would have expected. My head swimming. My life a mess. I don't get it.
Talked recently with a friend who is right there, right now. Has had difficulty getting out of bed in the morning and moving forward into the minutes and hours of the day. So many situations around her over which she has no control, yet wanting to be provide the answer - to fix it all. That ever-tighter space left her in her bedroom under the covers, ready to give up. But she can't. Know why? Because she knows her God loves her. Purpose and just enough hope puts her feet on the floor in the morning, shuffles her to the coffee maker, and out the door.
We are pressed in on all sides, but we do not give up the hope of living. Like the man digging his way out of prison who stops just short of the last few shovels full because it just wasn't worth trying any more, those whose hope is only in themselves and in this life, will fall short. But this is what we who know Him understand: In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself...In Him we have redemption through His blood and forgiveness of our sins according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. Ephesians 1.
We are His kids! Troubles come. Everyone at one time or another feels pressed in and perplexed by them. But the promise of Father to children is this - you will not be destroyed! Though the thief comes to rob, kill and destroy, Jesus came to give us life, more abundantly! We have a captain of our boat Who guides through the storm. A storm we can be assured has purpose. Picture yourself being swirled around in the furious cloud of a tornado and His hand plucking you out and putting you in a large, safe place. Worst case scenario: that actually happens. Still we are redeemed. As Paul goes on to say in 11Corinthians 4: God raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and we know that God will raise us up, also....and we will stand before Him.
Your worst case scenario will be the best thing that has ever happened to you! Call out to your Father in your ever-tightening space because He hears you. He will make a way for you because of His great love. You are never defeated, hopeless or abandoned. Isn't that good news? The Lord is always doing something in our lives. And never just one thing.
So, we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older (argh!) and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal weight of glory that is much greater than our troubles. We set our eyes not on what we can see, but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever. II Corinthians 4
I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord. The Lord answered me and set me free. Psalm 118
We have troubles all around us, be we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. 11 Corinthians 4
Trouble. Metsar. Anguish. An ever-tighter space. No room to breathe. Fewer and fewer options. The four walls around you pressing in, leaving you cramped and unable to move freely. And you cannot imagine the way out. Perplexed by the situation, you are tempted to give up. I have said, in times when I did not understand (which is more often than I want to admit), "What are You doing, Lord?" The circumstances seemed counterintuitive to what I would have expected. My head swimming. My life a mess. I don't get it.
Talked recently with a friend who is right there, right now. Has had difficulty getting out of bed in the morning and moving forward into the minutes and hours of the day. So many situations around her over which she has no control, yet wanting to be provide the answer - to fix it all. That ever-tighter space left her in her bedroom under the covers, ready to give up. But she can't. Know why? Because she knows her God loves her. Purpose and just enough hope puts her feet on the floor in the morning, shuffles her to the coffee maker, and out the door.
We are pressed in on all sides, but we do not give up the hope of living. Like the man digging his way out of prison who stops just short of the last few shovels full because it just wasn't worth trying any more, those whose hope is only in themselves and in this life, will fall short. But this is what we who know Him understand: In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself...In Him we have redemption through His blood and forgiveness of our sins according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us. Ephesians 1.
We are His kids! Troubles come. Everyone at one time or another feels pressed in and perplexed by them. But the promise of Father to children is this - you will not be destroyed! Though the thief comes to rob, kill and destroy, Jesus came to give us life, more abundantly! We have a captain of our boat Who guides through the storm. A storm we can be assured has purpose. Picture yourself being swirled around in the furious cloud of a tornado and His hand plucking you out and putting you in a large, safe place. Worst case scenario: that actually happens. Still we are redeemed. As Paul goes on to say in 11Corinthians 4: God raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and we know that God will raise us up, also....and we will stand before Him.
Your worst case scenario will be the best thing that has ever happened to you! Call out to your Father in your ever-tightening space because He hears you. He will make a way for you because of His great love. You are never defeated, hopeless or abandoned. Isn't that good news? The Lord is always doing something in our lives. And never just one thing.
So, we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older (argh!) and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal weight of glory that is much greater than our troubles. We set our eyes not on what we can see, but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever. II Corinthians 4
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