Living His WordSample

There are times when life does not work out as you have planned or wanted. There are times when it seems like the very hand of the Lord is against you, holding you back from moving forward, dragging you from the path of life to the wayside, walling you in so escape seems impossible, and making you dwell there in darkness rather than in light. You cry out to the Lord in prayer, but your prayers don’t seem to get through. Sickness and hardships of every kind begin to mount up and you can sense your soul within you losing heart. Despite everything, however, you are not destroyed and you do not fall into utter despair. Although you have been disciplined severely, you have not been given over to death (Psalm 118:18). There by the wayside and in the darkness you sense the love and compassion of the Lord. His goodness comes through and sustains you with what you need time after time. Every morning and each day you see His hand at work healing you, providing for you, and sustaining you. And the thought comes to mind of how great is the Lord’s faithfulness. People who do not know the Lord have their portion or inheritance here on earth, but the Lord is the strength of your heart and your portion forever (Psalm 73:26). Therefore, you wait patiently for Him (Psalm 40:1). You wait patiently because you know that “. . . the LORD will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love” (Lamentations 3:31-32). You know that human strength and effort are not the solution to your problems; you know that only the Lord can save and that His faithfulness is great; and, therefore, you know that you can allow hope to rise up in your heart as you place your confidence in Him.