PSALM 31:14-15 – But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
THEME OF THE DAY. ALL IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN. Today’s scripture reveals one of the most comforting truths found in God’s Words – my times are in your hand. Though this is a comforting truth, it isn’t always an easy truth to live. The trials and difficulties in life will challenge our belief and rest in the truth – our times are in His hand.
So let’s explore a few ways to help us meet the challenge of believing and relying upon this truth. First, our times are in His hand means God is sovereign over all things, not just in the world around us but in our personal worlds too. The Psalmist affirms God’s absolute control – The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands (Psalm 138:8). For Him to fulfill His purpose in our lives, He must be in control of all things to fulfill His purpose in our lives. If anything which may come into our lives is outside of His sovereign control, then those “uncontrolled” things could stop His purpose in our lives. And that, friends, is impossible. When life is hard, rest in His sovereignty. All things are going according to plan because our times are in His hand.
Another encouraging application to help us defeat the fears wanting us to question our times are in God’s hand is to remember nothing coming into our lives is by chance. God’s sovereignty not only guarantees all things in our lives are under His control, but all things in our lives come from His hand. Even trials. Even suffering. Even grief. Even pain. Everything comes from heaven and everything from heaven is good. Very good. All the time. We often grab hold and hang on to Romans 8:28 when our lives takes difficult turns and twists – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). But before we “hang our hearts” on this verse, we must understand that “the all things work together for good” are not “bad” things God reacted to make good. No, these things, these difficult things, these challenging things came from God and they are always good. Rest here. Rest in the truth God is always good and always does good. And because our times are in His hand, then all things in our times really are for our good.
Yes, one of the greatest sources of comfort in this sinful world is to know our times are truly in God’s hands. Learn to submit to Him with this truth. It won’t relieve the pain of living in a miserable world, but it will sustain us with hope and strength while living in this miserable world.
PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I complain or rebel against difficulties that come into my life.”
QUOTE: “God has ordained all things work together for our good, even if we don’t think they are ‘good’”.