The fact of the matter is, we all go through difficulties; small stuff, big stuff, ordinary, everyday affairs that have their own set of challenges. Then there are the life altering events that take us to places we certainly never planned or imagined that seem to knock us off of our feet. We had a completely different idea in mind.
But I don’t want to wallow away in my sorrows,
although there are more times than I’d like to admit when I have. The Lord said, “In this world you will have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He calls and equips us to do the same as we are filled and empowered by His Holy Spirit.
And so, I seek a Savior who is not unfamiliar with my propensity
to focus on the problem and begin to grumble; but He shifts my attention, He quiets and settles my soul as He points me to the One who is the
solution and returns me to His rest as I fully rely upon His grace.
It's not that my situation always changes. I live daily with chronic illness and its
limitations due to the effects upon my body, mind, emotions and finances. It has been life-changing for sure, not only
to me but to those around me.
There are times I become discouraged, feel guilty, and honestly, get downright mad! But I know a God who is
faithful to speak to me His word as I seek Him, where He helps bring me through my current condition and straightens out my tangled up thoughts; Who lifts me out of the muck and the mire and who comforts me in my distress
as His truth penetrates and reforms my heart.
It was recently as I was feeling disappointed, down in the dumps, and just so brokenhearted and isolated, when this Scripture unexpectedly came to me, followed by my art work and the devotion it inspired: Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to those who
have suffered disappointment. He saves
those who are discouraged.
How blessed I am to have the time to dwell in the secret place, alone with my God, to commune with Him and to hear what His Spirit is speaking. How blessed I am to pursue the things of God as He allows me to create art work that speaks so deeply to my spirit, and I pray, into the lives of others as the Lord releases me to share. How blessed I am that as I wait upon Him He opens my eyes to see wondrous things from His law. How blessed I am that He puts all the pieces back together and makes me whole again. How blessed I am as the Lord reminds me, I am chosen and a child of the King!
I pray for you, I pray for me, that God's word would go down deep to quicken and enliven our spirits, imparting His hope and a fresh, new vitality in Christ Jesus.
And, if we should find ourselves in perhaps some very unexpected places, may we search out to discover and embrace God's most perfect plan right there in the season He's set us, faithfully walking with Jesus, our friend, as all our trust is placed in Him.
The Lord is close, and truly, He cares.
Prayer and Declaration:
Lord, You surround me with songs of deliverance; sweet melodies that sing I am free. You hedge me in,
behind and before. You leave no open
gaps, but fill every crack. You close
the distance, drawing me near where we meet together, enveloping me with Your
love, encircling me with Your army, protecting and keeping me safe.
Your gentle hand is mighty upon me. You lead and guide me as I hide away in You. You restore my soul. You have so perfectly planned the direction of my life even when I cannot comprehend or see it.
You provide me with streams of
cool, clean water in desert places; the truth of Your Word that jump-starts my heart, invigorating me as You impart to me the fresh energy of Your Holy Spirit.
In
the wilderness You reveal to me a pool where healing rivers flow and where I see the power and victory of Your righteous right hand. You fight for me. You have dashed the enemy in pieces. The earth has swallowed them up. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. He has triumphed gloriously, bringing me through impossible situations.
You are a very present help in time of my great need. You allay my every fear as I put my hope in You. I hear Your voice speaking, "Be still and know that I AM God."
And so, boldly I come to the throne of grace; to a compassionate,
kind, all-knowing and powerful God who understands and knows all of my ways, for You are the One who formed me just as You pleased, and You delight in me.
Losses and disappointments I have suffered. Untold blows have been thrust upon me. Many I endure still. I have been perplexed regarding the way things have gone and confess my lack of understanding and my nearing the edge of despair. I have been struck down but You have not allowed my ruination. You have not permitted the enemy to lay waste of my life.
No, but You come as the lifter of my head, assuring me that You have not forgotten or forsaken me. You breathe life to dry bones and You say, "LIVE!". You are my defender. You are my redeemer. I have been bought with a price and I am Yours.
I thought I'd be crushed under the wearying weight of grief because of the multitude of trials, threats, and false accusations from foes. The relentless assaults by tempters and tormentors of the troop sent against me to invade and wreak havoc in my life made me to wish for a swift end.
My strength failed me, but You come as the strength of my life. You are my light and my salvation so whom shall I fear? Though I have been hard-pressed on every side, You have not allowed my foes to crush me, but rather, faithfully, You further manifest the life of Christ in me according to Your promise. You are my shield, my exceedingly great reward.
You hold me steady and in a place where hope is renewed, faith is
strengthened, passion is reignited and trust is restored. You remind me once again that I am only passing through, a stranger and pilgrim in this earth, but heaven is my home.
Father, I rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory as You bring me through the fire to reveal the genuineness of the faith that You have produced to bring You all praise and glory and honor. I wait upon You; I look to the One who bears me up, who keeps me from fainting and gives me the courage to hold tight, persevere, and believe.
Scripture Meditation:
Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to
those who have suffered disappointment.
He saves those who are discouraged.
Psalm 139:5 - You have surrounded me
on every side, behind me and before me, and You have placed Your hand gently on
my shoulder.
Psalm 32:7 - You are my hiding
place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of
deliverance.
Isaiah 30:15 - In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.
2 Kings 6:14-18 - Therefore he sent horses
and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the
city. And when the servant of the man of
God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with
horses and chariots. And his servant
said to him, “Alas, my master! What
shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not
fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray,
open his eyes that he may see.” Then the
Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and
said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according
to the word of Elisha.
Isaiah 41:18 - I will open rivers in
desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the
wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Exodus 15:1-19 - Then Moses and the
children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, for He has
triumphed gloriously! The horse and its
rider He has thrown into the sea! The
Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and
I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His
name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He
has cast into the sea; his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red
Sea. The depths have covered them; they
sank to the bottom like a stone. “Your
right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has
dashed the enemy in pieces. And in the
greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath; it consumed them like stubble. And with the blast of Your nostrils the
waters were gathered together; the floods stood upright like a heap; the depths
congealed in the heart of the sea. The
enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire
shall be satisfied on them. I will draw
my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in
the mighty waters. “Who is like You, O
Lord, among the gods? Who is like You,
glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out Your right hand; the earth
swallowed them. You in Your mercy have
led forth the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your
strength to Your holy habitation. “The people
will hear and be afraid; sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of
Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom will
be dismayed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling will take hold of them; all the
inhabitants of Canaan will melt away. Fear
and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of Your arm they will be as still
as a stone, till Your people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over whom
You have purchased. You will bring them
in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O Lord,
which You have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your
hands have established. “The Lord shall
reign forever and ever.” For the horses
of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord
brought back the waters
of the sea upon them. But the children
of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
Psalm 46:1-2 - God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea...
Psalm 46:10 - Be still, and know that I am God...
Hebrews 4:14-16 - Seeing then that
we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son
of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our
weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Romans 5:1-5 - Therefore, having
been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand,
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that
tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character,
hope. Now hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
who was given to us.
1 Peter 1:3-9 - Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has
begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not
fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through
faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a
little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the
genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes,
though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the
revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do
not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of
glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Psalm 139:1-5 - O Lord, You have
searched me and known me. You know my
sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and
are acquainted with all my ways. For
there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it
altogether. You have hedged me behind
and before, and laid Your hand upon me.
Psalm 139:13-16 - For You formed my inward
parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous
are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was
made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet
unformed. And in Your book they all were
written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:14 - Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 - But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of
us. We are hard-pressed on every side,
yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not
forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the
life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death
for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal
flesh. So then death is working in us,
but life in you.
Psalm 3:1-4 - Lord, how they have
increased who trouble me! Many are they
who rise up against me. Many are they
who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my
glory and the One who lifts up my head. I
cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.
Ezekiel 37:14 - I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live...
Genesis 15:1 - “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
Hebrews 11:13-16 - These all died in faith, not
having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of
them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the
earth. For those who say such things
declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had
come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a
heavenly country. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
