Are you in the midst of some trial or difficulty or heartache right now? If not, I know you’ve been there and you will be again.
The writer of Psalm 118 knew trouble. His life had not been easy. For example, verses 8-14 alone hint at betrayal and attack. He had learned that men – whether in lowly or exalted position – could not be fully trusted (Psalm 118:8-9). He had felt caught in a hopeless and dangerous situation with no way out.
But in the middle of those trials, he also experienced God’s personal intervention on his behalf. In Psalm 118:8-14, the psalmist testifies to God’s deliverance and expresses his gratitude. In this passage, we find 3 reasons to thank God when we face times of trouble:
- God is our refuge – When storms are raging all around us, we will always find safety in God’s presence. He is our shelter from the storm. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). From experience, the author of Psalm 118 had learned that people are not fully trustworthy, but God can always be trusted. He learned that he could not always depend on people, but he could depend on God in any and every situation. Like the psalmist, when we’re in the midst of trouble, let’s thank God that He is our refuge. When we hide ourselves in Him, He will be our shelter!
- God is our protector – When people and circumstances fight against us, we do not have to wonder or worry about victory. God Himself goes with His people and fights for them (Deuteronomy 30:3-4). When the psalmist was surrounded and swarmed by his enemies, victory came through the name of the LORD. Do you ever feel “swarmed by enemies?” Call on the name of the LORD. Thank Him that He is your protector!
- God is our strength – Verse 14 sums up this section of Psalm 118. “The LORD is my strength, and my song; He has become my salvation.” God saves! He will deliver us through trouble with the strength of His might. He is our reason to sing, so let us lift a song of praise and thanksgiving to the God who is our strength!
God is our refuge, our protector, and our strength! Thank Him today, especially in the midst of trouble.
How else can you thank God today? Express your gratitude in the comment section.
Apropos for me, as I am in – literally – the fight of my life. And for my life.
The Almighty has given me the strength to persevere, and the vision to hope, and the heart to remain – I hope – compassionate. For these I am thankful.
During the night I heard a TV preacher saying that God ‘allows’ horrible things to happen to us in order that we may ‘draw closer to him’.
There’s a Texan expression for that. I won’t use it here. If I thought God was allowing this to happen to me “to bring me closer’ I’d break His jaw when I got to Heaven. No joke; ‘closer’ might be closer than he intended, and He’d learn another thing about Texans.
I believe that He’s created a world in which free will is vital, to allow us to choose to side with Him. To be consistent with His created world, He has to stand by sometimes, and it breaks his heart.
I cannot believe that He would allow pancreatic cancer otherwise.
He does what He can, and that is to be there. His tears dwarf mine, His pain, felt on my behalf, must be dreadful.
But this all serves a purpose, and that is to maintain a world in which we, His beloved children, can ennoble ourselves through our free choice.
I can live with that, die with that…and be thankful for that.