Dealing With Difficulties

The Light of the Upright

Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. (Psalm 112:4)

A short little verse, but a wonderful promise from God. The upright are protected by God and light comes for them in times that appear dark to others. John…

I Tested You

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. (Psalm 81:7b NIV)

The Lord takes responsibility for our testings. To us our lives appear random and our events happenstance, but, as this and other scriptures teach, nothing happens to us in life that does not pass through the permissive…

My Tears in a Bottle

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. (Psalm 56:8 NLT)

Are our sorrows forgotten by God? Are our challenges, difficulties, and sadnesses recorded? In sorrow and pain we often feel…

Constant Dependence on the Lord

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been…

Enlarging Your Steps

Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. (Psalm 18:36 KJV)

Here is a promise for us that was an experience for David. Twice in the Holy Book he described his experience in these terms: God enlarging his steps. In his psalm recorded in 2…

Remaining in His Love

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:10–11 ESV)

Thanking God in Hard Times

But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. He called you to this salvation through our gospel, so that you may possess the…

The Comfort of Trusting the Creator

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” (Romans 9:20)

The clay can never know the shape the potter is forming it into. At mid-way points, it may appear a…

God Is Still There

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1–3)

Deep Calls to Deep

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. (Psalm 42:6–7)