Day 13 | February Devotional from Psalms - "How We Overcome Trouble"
Psalm 71:1 In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me. 3 Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5 For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth.
...7 I have become as a wonder to many, But You are my strong refuge. 8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day. 9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
...20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21 You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.
In this Psalm, David pours out his heart in seeking God's deliverance and help. He faced many challenges in his life and some trouble was of his own making.
The best thing you can do is ask God to help you. Sometimes you are not in a good place mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. As the old Andre Crouch song said, "If I never had a problem, I would never know that God could solve them."
God does not bring trouble, but He certainly works with us, trains us, and corrects us, when trouble shows up. Injustice is one of the more troubling problems we face because of the wicked nature of humanity. David offered this prayer, "Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5 For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth."
David said, "I have become a wonder to many..." The New Living Translation reads, "My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection." He realized that his challenges would serve the purpose of providing encouragement for others. This is something we can all hope for as we move through seasons of difficulty.
Looking ahead at his life, David expressed his concern about becoming older and more frail. "Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails." Older people are concerned about being forgotten and discarded due to diminished capacity. In this, God is also faithful.
In the midst of expressing his concerns to God and asking for help, David also expressed his faith in God's power and provision in Verse 20-21: "You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side."
Reflection Question: What problems and concerns will you express to God? How will you also express your faith and confidence in God?
Today’s action item based on insight:
