The cords of death entangled me, torrents of destruction overwhelmed me, cords of the grave coiled around me, snares of death confronted me. I cried out, my mind and heart were in distress. I was in deep waters and my powerful enemy was too strong for me. Disaster was coming for me, attacks from people and violence was encroaching upon my life!
We have numerous enemies that encroach upon our lives, cancer, illness, depression, loss, personal attacks from loved ones, friends and enemies, natural disasters..... There is no short of problems as long as you live among the living, that's for sure. When David in Psalm 18 speaks of his enemies, we can certainly put a myriad of titles that would apply to our personal situation. That's why the Psalms are so comforting, reassuring and validating. We can open our bibles to these sacred writings and find not only someone who understands but who also can provide all we need to have victory over them! The question lies in what each person defines victory as.
If you are in the darkness, wouldn't light be a welcome blessing? But what if the light wasn't provided for your eyes but for your heart? Verse 28 says, "You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning, You turn my darkness into light." I can attest to this blessing because when I was swallowed up by a deep darkness, God always filled my hearts lamp with oil so that the light of His truth would get me through! Two examples that gave me a mental picture and kept "hope" always before me were, the movie, "The Shawshank Redemption" and the saga of the Chilean miners. I was under great distress in my situation but I had a beautiful, warm, clean bed in which to lie. Many people in the world can't say that! There were no physical enemies that were pursuing me with threats of violence. Many people in the world can't say that! I was free to worship my God through it without fear of death, I wasn't imprisoned, I wasn't trapped! Many people in the world can't say that! My home wasn't swept away in a tsunami, I had all the comforts of home. Many people in the world can't say that! I was loved and not alone. Many people in the world can't say that! Did my situation take me to the marrow of my existence? YES, it did! Did I have more to be thankful for than to complain about? YES!
Our pain, grief, loss, illness....should always be grieved properly. But from one person who has scraped bottom, I can tell you that no matter how dark it may get, God will keep your lamp full with oil! And, through that internal light, we must learn to not become bitter but blessed. When we have troubles we instinctively get tunnel vision that focuses only on that issue and obsession takes root! No one wants problems in their life, it's our natural bend to desire progression and reward. So when life throws us a monkey wrench in our self-controlled life, we tend to magnify the issue till we can get rid of it. Problem is that we don't always have that kind of control. God, whether we can see it or not, always has a plan and will take our trials in His own hands to form a narrative for each life involved. That plan is bigger than us and beyond what we can comprehend. So dear ones, that is when we have to loosen our grip, take a deep breath and say, "Thy will not mine be done, O Lord." Jesus did that for us at Calvary, why would we deserve to escape problems and trials when the Son of God had to surrender to His Father's higher purpose, which was our salvation!
I know, life is not fair, but child of God, He is good and we must find our peace with Him that He knows what is best. Whatever your enemy is right now, or maybe it's your friend or a family member that is fighting a battle, this is just a part of what God has to say through His Word.....I AM your rock, your deliverer, your refuge, your shield, your salvation and stronghold. I will reach down from on high and take hold of you, I will draw you from the deep waters and rescue you. I will support you and bring you out into a spacious place because I delight in those who seek righteousness. My way is perfect and My Word flawless. I will prepare you when you must go into battle, I AM your rock, I AM there for you. Your enemies will lose heart, but not you. I will be faithful to save the humble. Psalm 18 closes with, "The Lord lives! Praise be to my rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me....who saves me from my enemies.
If you are a tepid believer, then you will most likely question God when things don't go your way. But, if you grow to trust Him and believe that He is in every circumstance, you will find a peace that is beyond your own ability or comprehension. His Holy Spirit will fill you with comfort, power, wisdom, grace.....all that you will need! Just do three things when troubles come, ask yourself, "Who is the One who can get me through this? And He will always be the One to answer, "I AM." Then, seek Him, (read your bible (start with Psalms:), go to church, get a friend of faith, spend time alone with the God who loves you, talk and listen to Him through His Word). And thirdly, for every problem you have, find 3-5 things that could make it worse and thank God you were spared of those, for it could always be worse! God will bring light into your darkness, sometimes by bringing it to you and other times by bringing you to it. We have victory in all things through Christ.
We have numerous enemies that encroach upon our lives, cancer, illness, depression, loss, personal attacks from loved ones, friends and enemies, natural disasters..... There is no short of problems as long as you live among the living, that's for sure. When David in Psalm 18 speaks of his enemies, we can certainly put a myriad of titles that would apply to our personal situation. That's why the Psalms are so comforting, reassuring and validating. We can open our bibles to these sacred writings and find not only someone who understands but who also can provide all we need to have victory over them! The question lies in what each person defines victory as.
If you are in the darkness, wouldn't light be a welcome blessing? But what if the light wasn't provided for your eyes but for your heart? Verse 28 says, "You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning, You turn my darkness into light." I can attest to this blessing because when I was swallowed up by a deep darkness, God always filled my hearts lamp with oil so that the light of His truth would get me through! Two examples that gave me a mental picture and kept "hope" always before me were, the movie, "The Shawshank Redemption" and the saga of the Chilean miners. I was under great distress in my situation but I had a beautiful, warm, clean bed in which to lie. Many people in the world can't say that! There were no physical enemies that were pursuing me with threats of violence. Many people in the world can't say that! I was free to worship my God through it without fear of death, I wasn't imprisoned, I wasn't trapped! Many people in the world can't say that! My home wasn't swept away in a tsunami, I had all the comforts of home. Many people in the world can't say that! I was loved and not alone. Many people in the world can't say that! Did my situation take me to the marrow of my existence? YES, it did! Did I have more to be thankful for than to complain about? YES!
Our pain, grief, loss, illness....should always be grieved properly. But from one person who has scraped bottom, I can tell you that no matter how dark it may get, God will keep your lamp full with oil! And, through that internal light, we must learn to not become bitter but blessed. When we have troubles we instinctively get tunnel vision that focuses only on that issue and obsession takes root! No one wants problems in their life, it's our natural bend to desire progression and reward. So when life throws us a monkey wrench in our self-controlled life, we tend to magnify the issue till we can get rid of it. Problem is that we don't always have that kind of control. God, whether we can see it or not, always has a plan and will take our trials in His own hands to form a narrative for each life involved. That plan is bigger than us and beyond what we can comprehend. So dear ones, that is when we have to loosen our grip, take a deep breath and say, "Thy will not mine be done, O Lord." Jesus did that for us at Calvary, why would we deserve to escape problems and trials when the Son of God had to surrender to His Father's higher purpose, which was our salvation!
I know, life is not fair, but child of God, He is good and we must find our peace with Him that He knows what is best. Whatever your enemy is right now, or maybe it's your friend or a family member that is fighting a battle, this is just a part of what God has to say through His Word.....I AM your rock, your deliverer, your refuge, your shield, your salvation and stronghold. I will reach down from on high and take hold of you, I will draw you from the deep waters and rescue you. I will support you and bring you out into a spacious place because I delight in those who seek righteousness. My way is perfect and My Word flawless. I will prepare you when you must go into battle, I AM your rock, I AM there for you. Your enemies will lose heart, but not you. I will be faithful to save the humble. Psalm 18 closes with, "The Lord lives! Praise be to my rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me....who saves me from my enemies.
If you are a tepid believer, then you will most likely question God when things don't go your way. But, if you grow to trust Him and believe that He is in every circumstance, you will find a peace that is beyond your own ability or comprehension. His Holy Spirit will fill you with comfort, power, wisdom, grace.....all that you will need! Just do three things when troubles come, ask yourself, "Who is the One who can get me through this? And He will always be the One to answer, "I AM." Then, seek Him, (read your bible (start with Psalms:), go to church, get a friend of faith, spend time alone with the God who loves you, talk and listen to Him through His Word). And thirdly, for every problem you have, find 3-5 things that could make it worse and thank God you were spared of those, for it could always be worse! God will bring light into your darkness, sometimes by bringing it to you and other times by bringing you to it. We have victory in all things through Christ.
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