9 Save me, O LORD, from my enemies;
I have fled to you for refuge. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path. 11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life. In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. There have been times in my life where I have faced adversity. There have been times in my life when I have faced personal, spiritual failure. The worst times have been when those two situations coincide. In fact, it is not uncommon that when we find ourselves facing adversity, we are more susceptible and more likely to stumble and fall spiritually. When we are facing adversity, our human response is to look for a way out - to escape the momentary trials in any way we can. Satan waits for us at those times and is always ready with an easy escape compromised of all our most wicked desires. He loves to see us labour and then give us those false lifelines to compound our despair and struggle. He then tortures us with not only our struggle but our failure. I love this psalm because I believe it speaks to this very issue and snatches us out of Satan’s grip. The crux of this dilemma is that we desperately need rescue but feel that we have no right to ask. We keenly feel our wickedness and believe we “deserve” to have God turn His back. Although we may deserve this, this is not how God behaves and is not in his character. He loves us. He wants to rescue us - period. He wants to rescue us from sin AND from adversity. Nothing we can do will change that. He does this not because of us, but because of His character. We can count on it. For [His] name’s sake, [He will], preserve [our] life. In [His] righteousness [He will] bring [us] out of trouble. In [His] steadfast love [He will] cut off [our] enemies and destroy all [our] adversaries. He will do this not because of who we are, but because of who He is. Like the author of this psalm we can come to God because he does not “enter into judgment”. He does not “not hide [His] face” from us. He let’s us “hear of [His] steadfast love in the morning” and encourages us to “put our trust in him”. Below is a prayer I review every morning. “God, help me not to judge by feeling but by God's word. When I am under overwhelming stress, I lose all discipline. I try to escape ... keep me from escaping and help me manage my stress by coming to you.” Do not let adversity and spiritual failure be the two-pronged fork that Satan tortures you with. Go to God. Find forgiveness and undeserved support and favour during your time of adversity. He loves you, He wants to rescue you, and he has the plan and power to do it. Burt 3 Month Reading Plan - Psalms 141-143
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