9 NOV 23 Thursday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again.” Psalm 71: 20-21
There are times in our lives when you are living for the Lord that you will face trials, suffering, and betrayal. The Lord Jesus himself faced all kinds of challenges and trials, he suffered and was ultimately put to death. He told his followers that if they followed him there would be a cost and would have to carry their cross. God would be with them and would bless them for suffering in His name.
Paul saw that the road to a blessed life was on the path of suffering. It became a joy to him once he understood that each time he went through a trial he experienced a special connection with the Lord. He embraced it with joy and told all that follow Jesus to rejoice in suffering because it gives you the ability to endure, shape character, and find a powerful hope. God would give you special grace during those times that would be sufficient.
Amid pain, suffering, or betrayal, you naturally want it to end versus continue. You certainly don’t rejoice in it, right? In this life, we may never fully understand why God allows us to suffer, but we do grasp that it is not a surprise to Him. In his sovereignty, he uses it for his glory. All of it will cause us to trust in God and his word. God is faithful to his promises and everything happens how he desires. He intends victory for his people and will make it so.
David in Psalm 71 captures the story of his life which was a hot mess at times and was certainly not perfect. He trusted God in every way and every circumstance and faced many trials that were more than he could handle. He knew that God was the only one who could make sense of it, bring him comfort, protect him, deliver him, or restore him. Knowing this changed his mindset and his heart to joy because his future was secure in God’s hands.
Do you need to be reminded of the future God has for you?
Reading Plan: Psalm 71; Ezra 7:11-26; Rev. 14:1-13; Matt. 14:1-12
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