Psalm 31 paints a vivid picture of David being hounded by his enemies, but he declares his trust in God’s protection and deliverance. In spite of his circumstances he chooses to side with God and concludes, “My times are in thy hand”, Psalm 31:15. David placed his trust in the One bigger than his circumstances.
Instead of allowing life’s trials to effect my outlook on life, I can choose, in my heart, (like David), to believe that God is in the midst of it all working all things for His glory. When I am overwhelmed by circumstances I can become despondent, believing that this is my portion in life. But there is One greater than my circumstances in whom I can place my complete trust. God is the strength of my life. His word declares “The Lord is my portion….therefore will I hope in Him”, Lamentations 3:24. When I allow the Lord Jesus to rule and reign in my heart, I change my believing and outlook on life. We live in an ever changing world, but God and His word never changes.
I can choose to refuse to be defined by my problems. They are not my identity, Christ is: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”, Galatians 2:20. The life of Another, Jesus Christ, lives in me! I may be journeying through difficulties but can still believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that “the Lord is my portion” and He guides and strengthens me through the passage. When I give Him pre-eminence my whole outlook on life changes. My believing changes and I see God at work in the mix, working all things for His glory. Right believing produces right living!
Right choices will produce a better quality of the life we live. Wrong choices produce the opposite. God created us with a free will and He will honour the choices we make. Joshua 24:15 “…choose you this day whom you will serve”. What I am today is the full expression of the choices I have made in my walk with the Lord. God has done everything from His side through Calvary. He will reveal His heavenly treasures to me, more and more, as I walk in the light He has given me. It is my responsibility to apply His revealed truths to me, to my every day life. This is where I tap into the Source of the abundant life of Christ.
God’s sovereignty gloves human responsibility. What must God do, because I cannot? What must I do in responsibility, because God will not? It is vital that I know and understand this principle for me to move forward with the Lord, otherwise I am stuck! I think I am waiting for God when He is waiting for me to move. I need a “proceeding, living” word from God to move. God’s word is always creative and will fulfil itself as I move into His will and purpose. Jesus declared, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that PROCEEDETH out of the mouth of God”, Matthew 4:4. When God gives us a “proceeding” word it is life changing. The Holy Spirit quickens (witnesses) the word to us, and with the quickening comes a living faith. We apply that faith into the word God has given and move out and stand firmly on it, watching to see How God will fulfil it, refusing all false evidence appearing real momentarily. God cannot deny His word and at His appointed time He will fulfil it. He makes the impossible possible!
Don’t settle for less than God’s best, believe for more!
