God’s glory demonstrated in times of trials
I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalms 18:1-2
From the text, David expressed his dependence to God in times of distress. Psalm 18 was David’s prayer when King Saul was running after him to kill him. David knew that the only place he can find refuge and strength is in God. Even in times of difficulties, David was thinking of how he could bring praise to God. “I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise” (v. 3). Each time you come to God to call upon His help in times of distress, you bring glory to Him. “Call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory” (Psalm 50:15). He wants you to pray and bring to Him your troubles. God taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9, 10 to pray asking Him that His “will be done.” So when you fail to pray in times of need you deny the Lord honor that is rightfully His. He wants you to trust Him with your cares. “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). There may be times when God allows you to reach a point of desperation that you have no one to turn to except Him, so that you will call upon Him. God’s glory is demonstrated when you let Him walk with you in times of trials. You also demonstrate to a watching world the difference He makes in the lives of His children. When trials come and you call upon God, you show to the people around you that they too could depend upon Him. Your dependence on Him shows that you are seeking God’s will and His ways. You knew that His ways are perfect that even in times of trials God is accomplishing something great for your life. “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?” (Psalm 18:30-31). If you feel you could handle everything in life including difficulties, you might be tempted to feel self-sufficient and without any need of God in your daily life. This will lead to pride thinking that you do not need to seek God’s assistance. Self-centeredness will seek to convince you that you can handle your dilemma through your own wisdom, resources, and hard work. Pride will also rob glory that only belongs to God. Don’t allow your pride to take what rightfully belongs to the Lord. Call upon the Lord and seek His ways. Each time you do this, you give Him the glory that He deserves. Self-sufficiency can greatly hinder your ability to experience God and bring Him honor. The next time you are in a bind, don’t hesitate to turn to Him!
Blessings,
