By David ReayTuesday 18 Feb 2014LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Psalm 112:6-8
6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast,trusting in the LORD.
8 Their hearts are secure,they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. (NIV)
Some people seem to encounter terrible hardship and yet they seem strong and trustful despite them. Others seem hurled into the pits of fear and despondency at the slightest setback. It all goes to show that it is not circumstances that define our lives; it is our response to those circumstances.
The Psalmist reminds us that those who trust in God will not fear or be shaken by bad news. Not because they vainly imagine they will never receive such news. Rather because they are secure in the care of God,trusting he knows what he is doing even if they do not.
It is futile,frustrating and wearying to try to control circumstances. Ultimately we cannot. But we have more power over our response to those circumstances. Is it to be fear based,where we focus on those circumstances and sink into anxiety and despair? Or is to be faith based,where we focus on the strong help and promised presence of the living God and so find security if not ease?
Praise God for the good news that comes our way. But we can also expect some bad news along with it. Get ready for it by developing a deep confidence in God’s goodness based on what we know of him from Scripture and even from our own life. We may not be able to quarantine ourselves against adversity but we can guard ourselves against being overcome by it.
Blessings
David Reay