Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. – Romans 12:12
In the post “Hope for Better Tomorrow”, David prayed in a dark time of difficulty and this provided the light needed to illuminate the path. You can do the same by remaining joyful in hope.
Hope is like an anchor that keeps you steady while going through the storm. You can get relief by admitting imperfections, putting down your anchor of hope, and asking God for help as you chart a new course.
Christ gives hope because His pardon erases guilt. His power breaks bad habits and His purpose transforms problems. His protection relieves fear, His provision supplies needs, and His promise secures a future.
You may feel torn but as in the song, you can praise the Lord even in the storms of life. Lift your hands to the Maker of heaven and earth for your help comes from the Lord. Put your hand in the hand of the man that stilled the water. Put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea.
Recorded in Psalms 38 is the desperate situation David was going through. David was in a state of sorrow and helplessness. His enemies were evil and slanderous and he needed relief. To make his relief possible, he confesses his sin and goes to God in prayer.
We can do the same because the Gospel message gives us hope for the future. God’s plan for us offers a future of safety, accomplishment, and confidence. Because of Christ, nothing we ever face will be greater than what Jesus gave us with the Holy Spirit.
When obstacles are thrown our way, we can hang in there and maintain the hope for better tomorrows. We can maintain joy even in difficulties. We don’t have to get down but remember what Jesus went through on the cross. We can remember the many things people have gone through but came out stronger on the other side.
There will be difficult days ahead but during these times, stay patient, endure, and hold on to God’s promise. Even in dark times His light illuminates the world. His promise will shine in dark times of life to brighten the path to better days.
This day with You Lord, our soul is renewed and we have hope for a better day ahead. Things of this world let us down but the hope we have in You never does. We get better day by day as You work in us to put things back together and are assured of ultimate victory because You transform problems into opportunities. You take our limited resources and provide abundance and Your promise makes our future secure. Amen
We can change our outlook from being downcast to great joy by simply beginning our day with prayer and offering praises to our Lord. The mission of this blog is to offer opportunities to do just that along with ideas to better apply God’s Word in our life at work, at home, and within our neighborhoods. The questions for reflection for the study of Psalm 38-41 below will help bring out some thoughts and ideas over the next few weeks.
In this life we face hardships, anxiety, and mistrust which destroy our mental and physical health. Faith is the antidote to overcome because God’s love through Christ gives us hope for a bright future. What we face in life may keep us down at times but God will provide music for our ears, laughter for our souls, and a rainbow after every storm.
The psalmist experienced negative psychological implications for repressed sin. But once sins were confessed, a big weight was lifted from His shoulders. We can do the same and be restored to the joyous fellowship with God, yoked together with other believers, and guided along the path by the Holy Spirit.
Music is very important when praising the Lord. Listen to the song Starry Night by Chris August and be grateful that we have free access to our Creator because of Christ. Then everything is possible and things will fall into place for an amazing day.
We can also have confidence in God by seeking Him in everything we do. He will teach us in His Word, encourage us in our relationships, inspire us through His creation, and enthuse us with music.
There are situations we may face in life when confidence in God to deliver is needed. We may not be in physical danger like David was as expressed in his writing of the Psalms but we face our own enemies like health issues, the pressures of meeting the demands of work, family concerns, and the courage to stand up to misguided secular thought.
It may take some time, some work, and lots of patience but we can maintain the joy if we never give up and practice our faith. If we continue to grab the upper hand of God and enthusiastically express our appreciation for the freedom He gives us. This day with God we can step Ahead of hate, iniquity, and other corrupting influences in life that keep us down; instead desire the authenticity, sincerity and certainty that God provides. We can use technology to make a positive impact on our life. Just a click away are scriptures, sermons, Christian blogs, and uplifting music available from any place or any time just by using our phone.
The Lord speaks to us in various ways – visions, dreams, and life’s circumstances; even advice from others. Most of all, God speaks through the Bible. Thus, the main purpose of this blog is to study His Word with the intent to gain wisdom that we may apply in our own lives and also help others along the journey. He blesses those whose ways are upright. By following His way, we can sincerely believe that each obstacle will be overcome and enthusiastically act upon each task until completion; celebrating progress throughout each day by praising Him.
The reading plan below will be used as I share over the next few posts. It’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Him as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with Him amazing!
Questions for Reflection
Psalms 38
What is the psalmist’s external and internal condition? From whom does the psalmist expect relief? What part does the psalmist have in making his relief possible? What can you do today to find relief from the guilt of sin?
Psalms 39
How deeply does this affliction strike David? To whom does David turn? What is the difference in tones between the first and last parts of this psalm?
Psalms 40
How does the experience described in verses 1-5 seem to fulfill David’s requests in the two previous psalms? What can you learn from this passage on how to handle stress? What attitudes in life to sin, failure, and triumph does this psalm suggest as being appropriate?
Psalms 41
What are David’s problems? Have you ever experienced such deceit, gossip, and betrayal? Who upholds David? Why?
Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments or to a Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God.
Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God: A Daily Study Guide to the Entire Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1978. Print.
I heard someone say once, if you pay attention to God, you are prepared for the world. If you pay attention to the world, you will become stressed and confused. For a Christian, the way to pay attention to God is found in three tools that God gives us. The first is His Word. The Bible is useful to teach us what is right. As the athlete gains stamina and strength with exercise, the Christian gains faith by reading the Bible. Faith grows the more the Bible is read. The second tool is the Holy Spirit. Through prayer we can receive directions and develop plans to be more self-disciplined. The third is the church where we have the opportunity to develop teamwork by learning together, caring for others together, and enjoying the company of friends together.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, Your vindication like the noonday sun. – Psalm 37:5-6
As pointed out in the post “True Reward”, God blesses those whose ways are upright. By following His way, you can sincerely believe that each obstacle will be overcome and enthusiastically act upon each task until completion; celebrating progress throughout each day by praising Him.
Some days may not go perfect but you can make a comeback after a bad day and keep at it, the reward is always much more so keep your eye on the reward and suddenly the breaks start going your way.
Let go of the past because the choices made in the past are short term. The birth of Christ changed everything because the choice to follow His way is long term. If you’ve accepted Christ, you’ve made a choice that provides a reward in heaven that is beyond what you could ever imagine.
Take a few minutes to celebrate your progress. Listen to the song I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe to help you either stay on track or get on track for a wonderful day. As you listen to the song, make a mental list of what your future reward will be like.
This Day With God - A Spiritual Journey 