O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair. Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy. I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much. I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments. Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true. As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live. (Psalm 119:137-144 NLT)
How many times do we find our daily lives filled with trouble? How do we respond when pressure and stress bear down on us?
In the Psalm we read today we are reminded that things often don’t go well around us. People do stupid irritating things. We get treated in ways that make us feel insignificant and even hated by some people. How do we find joy in those moments?
We can trust the principles God sets out for us. Everything God says is reliable and true. Particularly when times are troubled, it's good to have a bigger picture of life which will help us see beyond the stress and frustration of the moment. That bigger picture can bring us peace and relieve the pressure of problems as we settle down and see them in perspective. What others say or do does not need to impact the way we have chosen to follow God’s plan for us today. God is working out His plan for us and with us. God’s peace within us makes us stronger than any person who is challenging us. We need to keep our eyes focused on God and not on the problem person.
The slogan, "This too shall pass", is not just a group of comforting words, but is an accurate description of how quickly circumstances change. As those who are living with God in recovery, we have the luxury of timeless truth. God's word and God's ways are steady and everlasting. If we follow God’s plan for our lives we will live well and, step by step we will find peace beyond our understanding and joy that surprises us. God’s ways work! God’s counsel is perfect and He always does wonderful things.
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