PSALM 132:1 – Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured.”
THEME OF THE DAY: TRUST HIS WAYS WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND HIS WAYS. The verse in today’s scripture is the opening of the prayer in the Psalm of Ascents. In it, there is a word that defines what happens time and time again in the Christian life and will not end this side of heaven – hardships.
The hardships are of many kinds – emotional, physical, relational, financial, circumstantial . . . the list may be expanded. It is simply the reality of living in this fallen world and being fallen people. But hardships aren’t bad, providing we respond to them accordingly, but before we look at the responses, we must get this truth settled in our minds – . Let’s first look at the wrong response.
If we look at hardships as obstacles to exercising faith, instead of opportunities to exercise faith, we will grow bitter and harden our hearts. We will find ourselves complaining, grieving God’s Spirit, and maybe even thinking, “not fair” as hardships do a negative work in our hearts.
But there is another response to hardships. The good one; the one which will mature us spiritually through hardships. This response is captured so well by the South African Pastor, Andrew Murray. He was going through a difficult hardship. Gathering himself into his study, he sat for a long while quietly, prayerfully, thoughtfully. He picked up his pen and wrote in his journal – “First, He has brought me here, it is by His will that I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in His love and give me grace to behave as His child. Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, in His good time, He can bring me out again – how and when He knows. Let me say I am here, by God’s appointment, in His keeping, Under His training, for His time.”
The words of Murray and the following truth from God’s Word are to be the “life preservers” in time of hardships – For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).
Hardships are. . .hard! Yet in them are rich spiritual lessons to be learned, if we respond properly. May the Lord help us do so!
PRAYER: “Father, forgive me for worrying and doubting Your care when hardships are upon me.”
QUOTE: “Hardships will make us soft and teachable before the Lord or hard and stubborn.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim