I have noticed two extremes among
people in the church, those who think the devil is the cause of everything
wrong in their lives and those who think they aren’t worth his time. Personally
I have been in both. The oddity of it is that I think both trains of thought
are exactly what he wants us to think. The one renders those who believe it
incapable of taking responsibility for their lives, while the other leaves
those wide open without any spiritual weaponry to fight.
As you can see, most of their trouble was
their own fault. Oh, sadly I so relate. The
very last verse (43rd) of this Psalm reads: Whoever is wise will observe these things,
and they will understand the loving kindness of the Lord.
Of course at the root of both extremes
is deception, which as I have stated before is the enemy’s only real weapon
against us. Over the course of our lives we will find that things that happen
are a mixture of both the enemy and consequences of our own making, but I
believe that in either case we need spiritual perspective in order to
know what to do.
Often for those whose actions or lack
of action has been the cause of unfavorable circumstances the enemy has another
weapon and that is guilt and shame so that we will not to engage the help of
heaven. Again, it is through deception that the devil does this by making
us believe that God is mad if not even disgusted with us depending on the
situation. If our
perception of our heavenly Father is through eyes of guilt and condemnation
there is no way we could imagine He would help us, let alone want to help us, and yet all through
scripture we see a merciful, compassionate God who intervenes on behalf of
those who look to Him and trust in Him.
I realize that often this is not the reaction or response of our fellow man
towards our plight, in fact often it is quite the opposite unless they too have
been in the same situation. How often have you heard what you’re
going through is for someone else? Yet I do believe it is true, and often
this belief has helped me to respond better.
2 Corinthians
1:3-4 reads: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and
God of all comfort, who
comforts us in all our tribulation, that we maybe able to
comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves
are comforted by God.
Beloved, we must understand that Jesus took all of
our bad in order that we, as God’s children might receive all of His good.
Don’t misunderstand; I can almost quote by heart the scriptures in Hebrews that
discuss enduring hardship as discipline. But not everything bad that happens is
because we are being disciplined. If the enemy can get us to believe that, then
again we will not seek the help of our Father, which is precisely what the
devil wants because he knows Jesus is the one thing he can’t stand against.
Below are some scriptures from Psalm 107 that will encourage you and help you
see better the mercy and compassion of a God who is all powerful and all
mighty.
VS
4-6: They wandered in the
wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and
thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and He delivered them out of their distresses.
VS 10-13: Those who
sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons
because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the
Most High, there fore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down,
and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and He saved them out of their distresses.
VS 17-19: Fools, because of their transgression,
and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of
food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then
they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their
distresses.
VS 26-28: They go
down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like
a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and
He brings them out of their distresses.
I can tell you I have been through more adverse circumstances that were caused
by my own decisions than not and had it not been for the mercy and grace
of God I probably wouldn’t have survived. What I have learned is this; that if
God is willing to come to our aide even when it’s our fault, and believe
me He does, how much more will He come to our aide when it’s
not?
Many, many people in the body are going through very hard times right now, some
of their own making, some not, and some a mixture of both. The bottom line is
this, our God is an ever present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He not only has the ability to help
us, but He also wants to help us, we just need to ask. I encourage
you to read all of Psalm 107, it is amazing. We do serve an awesome God who is
not only all powerful, but full of loving kindness who delights to use His
power to help us.
July 14, 2011
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