When I was so sick back in 1986-7, I found a scripture in Psalm 119. Verse 50, David says, This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life. (NKJV) The old King James says, for your word has quickened me. As I struggled physically, with no strength, nothing making much sense and doctors who couldn't find answers (or didn't even want to try), I thought I was going to die.
On top of all of that, my MIL at the time began to berate me with comments about how God was punishing me for this or that. She listed out all the things she thought I was doing wrong. Honestly, I had no strength to defend myself. I would repeatedly tell her, I trust God. My mom planned my funeral.
As a nurse, she thought I was in the dying process. God miraculously healed me - I have no doubt. Slowly, I regained strength and over the next few months, I just got better and stronger. My appetite returned and I began to gain back all the weight I'd lost.
But during the storm - I found so much comfort in the fact that the Word continued to undergird me and give me hope and life. It was one reason I knew I hadn't committed some grave sin as some suggested. Instead, His word still touched my heart, even though I was in one of the lowest points of my life.
Lately, I've struggled with stuff common to caregivers like loneliness and social isolation. On top of that, my natural solutions are to get out more - but because of the ongoing COVID stuff, I feel stuck. But what comfort comes when I read His word! I read stories about real people who faced real stuff too and just continued to trust God.
Take Job. He lost everything - and that's no overstatement. But he said, even though God slays (kills) me, I will trust Him. I'm like - ME TOO! Take Daniel. He grew up in a hostile environment - he was a slave. Yet when they told him to not pray - Daniel said (in my loose translation) - let me go pray about that! I'm like - yeah, ME TOO! What about the 3 Hebrew children? They were going to be thrown into a fire - a hot, raging real - fire! They said, Our God is able to deliver us. But if He doesn't - we still won't bow. And I say ME TOO!
God is worth trusting. It doesn't matter how hot the fire gets - He is with us firewalkers! No matter what we lose or retain - He is still trustworthy. No matter how alone we may feel, He is with us like He was with all our Bible heroes. I remind myself (and you can listen in) that our Bible heroes are just that because they faced stuff - not because they avoided bad things happening in their lives. Since they didn't live their lives in a bubble, stuff happened to them. Me too! (lol)
Today, I restate my vow to trust God in the no-matter-whats. I reaffirm my heart is set on trusting Him through it all - in the midst of the turmoil, the trials, the tribulation, and the tough times life throws my way. He will always still be my God. I will continue to trust Him - will you join me?
If you enjoy these devotionals, I have others! I've expanded my bookstore on Amazon. My devotionals are available in Kindle or print format. The new Bible study guides are now available on Kindle and in print! Check out my growing bookstore:
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