God’s promises during times of trials
I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. I hate those who worship worthless idols. I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Psalm 31:5-9
From the text, David expressed his trust and confidence on God. He saw how God fulfilled His promises and how secured he was in His love. “Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love” (v. 21). Since he had proven God’s faithfulness, he urged other believers to do what he has been doing; trust and be dependent upon God. “So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord” (v. 24). This was how resolved David was in his trust to God even when he was going through difficulties in life. Since it is a natural tendency for man to question God when they are going through trials in life, God provides examples of people written in the Scriptures that counted on and trusted His promises. His promises come to life when one claims them during times of sufferings. God’s promises are provided for you to claim and respond to. They were not written so they could just linger on in your minds. Joseph trusted God’s promise that something good could come out from his experience when his brothers sold him to slavery. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20). God is interested in how you are growing in your relationship with Him. He uses trials so you could become the person that will manifest His glory. This is what Peter told Christians who were going through tremendous sufferings. “There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:6-7). God’s promises are there not for you to cling to but to prod you to be faithful and obedient to His will. So when God speaks to you when you meditate upon His Word do not just feel good and think that you are cuddled once again. The only way that you could discover the truth of God’s promises is when you, just like David and Joseph, trust God and put His word into action by applying them in your life. And just like them, you would be able to face the storms of life.
Blessings,
