Psalm 54 – Peace Through Pain

Psalm 54 – Peace Through Pain

7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

In light of where David was in his journey….he surely has had troubles, and more to come. But David didn’t ask God NOT to have troubles….he just prayed through them and thanked God for delivery from them.

I am super pumped about this coming Sunday and the videos we will be showing. They are real life troubles that people have experienced…C. S. Lewis said God whispers to us in our pleasure and shouts at us in our pain. In these true life stories….God is doing a lot of screaming…and its through that pain, that we get to experience His Peace.

I know its counter-everything-we-are to pray FOR troubles…..but it is in those times that I have leaned more on God. I saw an article one time on this subject…..
Whether suffering and pain created more Atheists or Believers. I tend to think the latter. I think that as we walk through life….fat, dumb and happy....the thought of a higher being, a greater good, someone who is sovereign doesn’t seem to make it on our radar. But interject 9/11….now, people begin to ask the questions. Have a loved one die….and folks are grasping for answers.

Psalm 25 - Where does my help come from?

Psalm 25:15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.

Lately, I have been asking and paying more attention to people’s testimonies. Not just when, they entered into relationship with Christ….but what were the circumstances. What brought them to the place of dependence on Christ ALONE for salvation….and 9 times out of 10, people are (as the verses say) afflicted, lonely, troubled, sick or distressed. They are ensnared.

It’s in these times (either being without God or separated from Him) when we have tried everything else….we’ve used our resources, we’ve tapped our knowledge, we’ve read books, we’ve ask those around us for help......

Where does my help come from?

….in my case, I saw my lawyer, I cried with my wife, I cussed, I drank, I withdrew…..only to look up and cry out. I turned to Jesus…I went to my pastor….who gave me biblical counsel. And Christ met me in my crisis. He led me through the tough times…not that He solved my issues….but He gave me hope in the darkness and courage to walk with Him. He refocused my joy only on things eternal and not temporal.