Reading: Psalm 40:16-17

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

Reflection:

I remember this line from the movie, Facing the Giants – “If we win, we will praise God. If we lose, we will still praise God.”

As we seek God, we do not only praise Him when things are going well with us. Our rejoicing and gladness with the Lord should not be dependent on our current condition. It should be constant and continuous regardless of. Though, this is never easy especially when we feel so trapped and hopeless. But just like David, he still chose to praise and worship God despite of his current situation.

Every time I feel down and start to question God, I just go back to His Word and remember the love He has given to us through Jesus. I am then reminded that everything in this lifetime is temporary. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) And that I can look forward to eternity in heaven, someday. This gives me hope and restores my joy.

I would also remember the things that God has done for me in the past. How He never failed me on the lowest points of my life. At times, we may feel that God does not hear us. But He does. His delays as we thought they are strengthen our faith, which makes us more dependent on Him and not in our selves. We just have to keep fixing our eyes on Jesus. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” – Hebrews 12:1. With this, we can have the faith and confidence to a BIG God and say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)

Starting today, may you face each day having peace and joy regardless of the trials, challenges and problems you will be facing. Again, fix your eyes on Jesus. You can say this prayer to the Lord.

Prayer:

Dear Father,

Thank you for the promise that you will never forsake us especially on the times that we feel so down and hopeless. I ask that you give me strength through Jesus that I may endure each day with joy and peace in my heart. Help me to trust and always fix my eyes on Jesus that my faith will not be shaken. Thank you for the trials as they make me more dependent to You and mold my character. I entrust to you my day to day, knowing that you will be my helper and refuge. This I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Song: