TROUBLES ARE REAL, BUT GOD’S CARE IS SURE!

WHEN I GET UP MY PROBLEMS WILL STILL BE THERE, BUT SO WILL GOD!

Psalm 119:145-152

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD!

I will keep your statutes.

I call to you; save me,

that I may observe your testimonies.

I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I hope in your words.

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,

that I may meditate on your promise.

Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;

O LORD, according to your justice give me life.

They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;

they are far from your law.

But you are near, O LORD,

and all your commandments are true.

Long have I known from your testimonies

that you have founded them forever.

There is no doubt that the writer’s situation at this time is very hard. His emotions are overwhelming him. His cry for help comes from the depths of his being. He longs for an answer from the LORD. Jehovah is whom he is looking to for help. We do not know how long he has been confronted with the difficulties that assail him, but we know that he goes to bed knowing that he will face the same problems again.

He is looking for help, he is committed to doing what is right, and he is going to the right Source for help, but his difficulties are not disappearing. His waking hours are consumed with meditating on God’s teaching.

What a great example for us, as we deal with difficult situations: where the solutions are beyond our capabilities, where the weight of the situation seems unbearable, and where the end is not even in sight. There is one Person who can give us rest: it is found in God. Knowing we are steadfastly loved by God should produce trust and peace in our troubles. We know that what is assailing us is there only by the will of God, we know that He has the power to change or stop our difficulties, we are confident in God’s wisdom in allowing those situations to produce His intended results in our life, and we know that all His decisions are driven by His love for us.

God’s love was initiated by God, it was revealed by Him, it is sustained by Him, it is unaltered by our behavior, and is rooted in His faithfulness. We are blessed by its benefit, but we have not produced it or invited it, nor can we maintain it. IT IS ALL OF GRACE!

The enemies of God are intent on living according to their nature. We will always be surrounded by the ungodly. Even believers will bring difficulties into our lives, but all of this will be under the careful watch of our loving God.

It is in these difficulties that extra time needs to be given to meditating upon the Scriptures, to mine for ourselves the eternal truths about the character of God and God’s purposes for our lives.

It is encouraging for the writer to come to the assuring conclusion that God is close to him. He has not been abandoned! One of the amazing truths from the Word of God is that He does not always immediately rescue us from our difficulty, but He is the One Who has lead us there, totally in control of the situation, and with fatherly purpose for our eternal good! How different my actions and reactions would be, if I were conscious of these truths at all times.

In God’s providence, the writer has known and meditated upon these truths for a long time. And that is how God has prepared him for times of intense trial. May we be diligent in preparing for the difficulties that we will no doubt face in our future. May we be careful not squander times of learning, while we have the opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds to be able to rejoice in God’s care for us.

At times, our difficulties are a test of our commitment to God. If we fail the test, let us ask forgiveness and press on. In times where God’s grace shines brightly, may our words of praise ring loud and clear as a witness to those around us!