Tag: come upon them

5.a. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long?

Job 7:19   How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?  If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind? Why have you made me your mark? Why have I become a burden to you? Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity?

Psalms 6:3    My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long?

Psalms 13:1-3    How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?  How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?  Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

Deuteronomy 31:17    Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?

Isaiah 59:2     but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Lamentations 5:20   Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?

My soul is troubled, why do you forget us, how long will you look away, how long will you hide your face, are all questions from man in their time of testing, trial, or discipline from God.  These times seem to make think and feel we are alone and this makes this time all the harder to bear.  They have a way of making us think we are forgotten and are bearing this burden by ourselves. These times can eat at our hearts and mind.  These times can be a breeding ground of Satan temped thoughts of all kinds.

It is easy to say to others that “God will never leave them” and “forsake them” and “He loves them”, but when these trials hit us it seems different and unfair.  The questions and doubts come.

What are we to do in times like these?   Seek God, pray, honor Him, learn reliance and trust in Jesus Christ.  These are all attributes of our ever-growing maturity in our Christian walk.  There is a special type of growth, trust, reliance, and obedience that comes through trials, testing, and discipline from God.  When we are stripped bare of our self-reliant power, strength, and worldly wisdom is when things of God become more real and alive.  This is where earthly things become distant and heavenly things become clearer.  We come out on the other side of these trials, testing, and discipline with more wisdom and understanding.  We come to a place in our hearts and minds where Jesus Christ is our all in all.  I wish each person could find this level of maturity without the testing, trials, and discipline but at the end of the day God’s plans are perfect, His ways are Holy, and His love for us is steadfast.  In this, we can count all of these as blessings and not burdens.

1. Because He is God

Exodus 18:8   Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.  Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh and has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Nehemiah 9:9-15    “And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea,  and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day.

Psalms 66:16    Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Psalms 71:17-20    O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.  So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.  Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?  You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

Psalms 105:1-2     Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Psalms 145:4-12     One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.  On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.  They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.  They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.  The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.  All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!  They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,  to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

When we choose to intentionally commit to know and understand God and begin to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, and obey Him we will see new wonders, mighty deeds, awesome power, steadfast love, and being witness to these, we speak rejoicing.  We speak joy.  We speak love.  We speak hope. We speak kindness. We speak reliance. We speak about trust and faith.

“Come and hear…. I will tell what He has done for my soul,” “One generation shall commend your works to another,” “Proclaim your might to another generation,” “Make known His deeds,” “I will proclaim your wondrous deeds”

We rejoice in times of plenty and in want.  Why? Because God has become our rock, refuge, and hope.  In Him and His purposes and plans, we confidently place our faith because He is God.