Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Have you ever felt like troubles just kept showing up in your life? No matter what you do, nothing positive happens. You are not alone. Many people feel this way. In fact, David felt this way at times. Yes, “the man after God’s own heart” had some low points where he felt he had no help and that perhaps God was not listening to him. Not only did David struggle, but he dwelled on his pain and made it worse by isolating himself and having, at times, a ‘woe is me’ attitude. 

In Psalms 102:2, David says, “Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.”  David is going through a challenging time and is asking God not to leave him when he is in distress. He later says, “I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.”  It is obvious that David is in a bad place here. What he is experiencing is felt by many today. But it does not have to be that way. The truth is, God is always here.  He wants to help us. It is not Him, but us, who refuse to accept the peace He can bring in all situations. 

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  I do not know why we choose to complicate this life. Jesus was very specific in His time on this earth. He showed us how to live and how to think, and He gave us repeated examples of how He is here to comfort us. But we tend to let the lies of Lucifer win out in our heads. Trust me, it is never as bad as we think it is. If we can relinquish the control we think we have in this world and give all Glory and credit to God, and also truly trust Him, the peace that will come is beyond understanding. We must quit being hearers of the word only and become doers of the word. We know what God has said, but at times we live as if it is not true. I encourage you to live and walk with God in a way that shows you believe His word, and then not fall for the temptation and lies the evil one uses to separate us from a life lived with Christ!

Prayer: God, help me to truly trust You. Please give me the strength and confidence to live with joy regardless of what this life brings. And help me to show in my actions each day a life that reflects You and Your good and perfect will. 

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God's Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today's passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.