5 During times of trouble I called on the Lord. The Lord answered me {and} set me free {from all of them}. 6 The Lord is on my side. I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I will see {the defeat of} those who hate me. 8 It is better to depend on the Lord than to trust mortals. 9 It is better to depend on the Lord than to trust influential people.
Psalms 118:1-9 (GW)
One of the favorite cliches we hear today is things are so uncertain. Well here's the breaking news, folks. Things have always been uncertain. A friend once told me " the distance between the penthouse and the outhouse is very short". These last several months have proved him in this matter. You know Jesus says in the scriptures " in this world there are going to be troubles" there is no escaping this. We look all around us and there are so many things going on and as long as they are not happening to us we may feel a sympathy,but there is a detachment. It doesn't touch us, but there comes a time; that word from the doctor or that employer that tells us to come in and shut the door, the late night Phone call, there's been a accident; you heart is in your throat and your breath is gone like you've been hit in the stomach; a heaviness overtakes you, all hope seems to be gone. Where do you go? Do you turn inward and become depressed, anxious or worried and just let those things envelope you? Do you go outward, get angry at the world, turn to alcohol, drugs,or rebellion? All of these things will lead to your destruction. They will destroy all of you, physically emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Above I quoted Jesus as saying, "In this world there will be troubles" but he follows with the Good News " but don't be afraid for I have overcome the world". I have found over the years to stop in the midst of my trial and seek refuge in His presence is the place to go. The thing that I try do first is reach to Him through praise and worship. Psalms says we enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and His courts with praise. We go to Him in that way and we find Him for He inhabits our praises. We don't have to be in church to find Him, as a matter of a fact the best times I have with God are in my bedroom, my backyard or alone in my car; just me and Him. I worship Him and the heaviness begins to fade and is replaced by the joy and peace of the Holy Spirit. I only testify of these things out of my experience to let you know He will do the same for you.
This is not to say that the times of distress and trouble are the only times to worship Him. Go to Him every day in worship and the Word. Be prepared in season and out of season (good and bad times) and furthermore it is just plain fun and refreshing to be in the presence of the creator of the universe.
At the church I attend to we sing a chorus that goes like this (be glad you don't have to listen to me sing);
I think about His love,
I think about His goodness,
I think about His grace that has brought me through,
For as high as the heavens above,
Great is the measure of My Father's Love.
We don't have to be overcome by the troubles of the world for Through the cross He has overcome the World.
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