WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS DURING DIFFICULTY?

God never stops being our loving father.

Psalm 41

1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor!

In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;

2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;

he is called blessed in the land;

you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.

3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;

in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against you!”

5 My enemies say of me in malice,

“When will he die, and his name perish?”

6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,

while his heart gathers iniquity;

when he goes out, he tells it abroad.

7 All who hate me whisper together about me;

they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;

he will not rise again from where he lies.”

9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,

who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,

and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that you delight in me:

my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.

12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity,

and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting!

Amen and Amen. 

David is living the reality of being surrounded by enemies. He is ill. His enemies desire his demise. They have nothing good to say They not only speak evil, but they also suspect and invent evil; they look upon his situation with contempt.

Have you ever been in that situation? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by treatment from others that you felt was unwarranted and undeserved? If we are not going through a time like this right now, we have likely felt that even those we had served have turned against us.

Often our reaction is to lash back, wanting to defend ourselves, and in one way or the other, be vindicated. When this kind of situation is prolonged, we can become bitter and angry.

David was living this situation, but he directs our thoughts, under the inspiration of God, in a very different direction.

He begins by reminding us that God looks with favor upon those who care for the poor, for those who go through difficult times. God desires that those who follow Him would not become part of the scoffers, but part of the encouragers.

We must ask ourselves if we ever allow others to suck us into their complaints and criticism of others. Are we easily attracted by information about the difficulties or the sin of others, with no intention of being part of the solution, but only part of unloving group? We might not be the ones who spread the information, but are we giving a willing ear to those that are? God is displeased with both!

The writer goes on to remind us of God’s actions during these difficult moments: God protects, sustains, shows grace, forgives, heals, find pleasure in His own, upholds, and is close. Yes, there are enemies, and yes, they desire evil, but God is not immobile in His responses. He actively loves us through those moments.

David knows that even close friends who have been cared for can turn against us. Dear friends, the question are is: where will you and I focus our attention during those times? Are we going to focus on the offending enemy, or upon our loving God? Are we going to react to the accusing people, or to the gracious and forgiving Lord?

In the worst of our situations, God never stops being our loving father. In fact, during those times He is actively loving us and shaping us into the image of His eternally beloved Son! God does not desire evil for us; He actively loves us.

Way too often, my total attention is taken by the actions of man, rather than the eternal purposes of God. The kinds of reactions and attitudes I have expose where my focus is. Have you become bitter or disillusioned? Do you feel like you need to defend yourself?

David does not forget that he is a sinner saved by grace. He knows that God has shown mercy to him and is blessed to have a relationship with the Eternal Holy God.

It is so easy to become self-focused during our difficult times, when God is pleased if we focus on caring for others, instead.

God’s awareness is complete, His attention is undivided, His care is meticulous, His purposes are eternal, His love is unfading, His grace is astounding, His protection is unmatched, and His faithfulness is eternal.

Dear friend, David ends this psalm with a heart-felt exclamation of praise! Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!

How will you start your day? Will you choose to focus on people, or God? Will your attention be given to yourself, or to your Lord? How quickly will you allow men to rob you of enjoying your wonderful Savior?

May the Lord bless you today and may you, in turn, be a blessing to others!