Sunday Psalm Persistent Problem Solving
Sunday July 17, 2016
Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word. I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure. I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions. I will praise you seven times a day because all your regulations are just. Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. I long for your rescue, Lord, so I have obeyed your commands. I have obeyed your laws, for I love them very much. Yes, I obey your commandments and laws because you know everything I do. (Psalm 119:161-168 NLT)
When we face troubles and challenges for doing the right thing, it's easy for us to become discouraged and question God's principles. We may feel harassed by people without cause. We may experience fear and insecurity or feel confused and irritated. It’s so easy to feel sorry for ourselves. We think it's not fair that we have troubles. Sometimes we are tempted to lie and scheme to avoid our problems. We certainly know how to do that. We had years of practicing deception in our time in addiction. However, in our new life with God in recovery, one of the strongholds we have to overcome is - our belief that our old defective way of handling challenging circumstances is superior to God’s way.
God knows what is going on in every situation. God knows what we are thinking, feeling, and even planning to do, even before we are conscious of what is going on within us. The teaching in the above verses is that those who put away dishonest ways of sorting out situations and choose for God’s way, will find great peace and will not stumble.
The number seven that is used in “I will praise you seven times a day” is a symbol for completeness or perfection. It means “as often as it takes until the job is done”. Our situation will change as we continuously put God’s principles into practice. When we persevere in “practicing these principles in ALL our affairs”, we will discover that we are experiencing positive change in our hearts and minds, in addition to our difficulties being sorted. What an unexpected blessing!
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