Month: January 2017

Psalm 43-48

Sunday, January 1, 2017

The week before Christmas was a rough one for me. People traveling home, car trouble, injury, and the start of seasonal work. While there was nothing really bad, it did make me feel alone and stressed out. Through it all, like David, I was tempted to question if God had left me on my own. Ps 43:2, “Why have you rejected me?” And like David, I was tempted to bargain with God. I would put Him first, after He smoothed my path. “3 Send forth your light and truth, 4 then I will go to the alter.” This isn’t how this should work! I should lean on God during the trying times, knowing He is carrying me through. I sometimes focus on what is affecting me, not seeing all the things He is protecting me from. Thankfully, God is always faithful, even when I fail Him.

There are times, we think as Christians, everything should be smooth. If this were true, we would be less likely to trust God’s care. PS 44:8-9, “In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. But now you have rejected us and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies.” So, has God rejected me, just because things aren’t going the way I want? Most likely, I am doing my own thing and not relying on God. It is during the tough times, the everyday bumps in the road where I find I need to examine what I’m doing and am I working for God and His plan.  So, like David, take a minute to focus on God, especially the “little” things, and know He is always faithful!

When we can turn our eyes to God like in Psalm 46, “God is our refuge and strength…. Therefore, we will not fear.” Putting your trust in God, through the good times is easy; fully leaning on God in the tough times, really hard! It is at these times we need to hold on to the knowledge God is with us and continue to praise Him. He wants our praise during the bad times in our lives as much as the good.

– Susan Johnson