Trusting In Hardships

"I trust in the LORD, I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my afliction and knew the anguish of my soul" (Psalm 31:6b-7).

Are you going through a time of hardship? Has life dealt you a blow? Has your faith come under attack? If so then, consider your faith. All people go through hardships and for each their hardship is their own; felt only by them, we cannot fully understand, and others cannot understand the depth of our struggles.  Here in this Psalm David, think about it, King David, he has everything, power, money, luxury, fame, and fortune, yet he cries out to the LORD because of hardship. Taking time to read about great men and women in the Bible and how God has delivered them through their hardships will give confidence that this same God will do the same for you.

Faith and prayer must go together, for the prayer of faith is the prevailing prayer. David comes to God in prayer for deliverance and for guidance.  If God be our strength, we in faith can have confidence that He will put His strength in us, and put forth His strength for us. David is not just concerned about his outward hardship he is concerned about his soul. Our outward hardships should increase our concern for our souls. "Therefore we do not lose heart. though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). It is the wisdom and duty of every one solemnly to commit his spirit into the hands of God, to be sanctified by His grace, employed in His service, and fitted for His kingdom.

David acknowledged that his afflictions were merited by his own iniquity. While our hardships however they have come might cause us to lose faith; reconsider. David would not allow his friends, his situation to rob him of his confidence in God. We cannot allow our faith to be stolen from us and that is what our enemy, Satan, desires to do. It should be a great support to you who have Jehovah God for your God, that your times are in His hands, to lengthen or shorten, imbitter or sweeten, according to the counsel of His will.  Our times, all events, hardship that concern us, and the timing of them, are at God's disposal; for our way is not within ourself, not in the hands of our friends, not in our enemy's hands, but in God's. Let us look unto Jesus, who was divinely wise, holy, and merciful; yet was more hated, and suffered more than we can. Let us follow His example, remembering our times are in his hand. "My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63:8).

Faith is not an intellectural understanding, while we can intellectually know faith it will be truly "known" when we have experienced faith. An example: I might know (intellectually) the joy of eating Godiva chocolate. I can see that others have found joy in this treat; but, until I taste it for myself I will never "know" the true joy of Godiva chocolate. "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man (woman) who takes refuge in him" (Psalm 43:8).

Plan time to be alone with God. Do not take any other book with you only the Bible. Tell your family, friends that you are unavailble and read slowly, meditate on His Word and allow God through the Holy Spirit to speak into your life. Commit your hardships to Him, your soul to Him, your everything to Him. As that old hymn states, "Trust and obey for there is no other way..."; you will find that your faith will increase and you will see that the LORD is good.

Daily Prayer:

Lord, I commit my soul to you, my life to you, and ask that you increase my faith.  I bring to you these concerns _________________ and ask for guidance and wisdom. My trust is in you.  Thank you!  Amen