Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 56:1-7
Ps 56:1-7
1 Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. 2 My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. 3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? 5 All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me. 6 They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life. 7 On no account let them escape; in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
2 Cor 12:7-10
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
No matter what the temptations we face, we have a God that is able to help us and carry us through. Our trials may be at the hand of others and their misdeeds or it may be from our own desires within us, but God will provide a way for us to overcome. With the Psalmist, it was at the hand of others that he suffered and with Paul it was from physical ailments but either way, the grace of God is always sufficient when we trust him for our deliverance.
When we accept the power of God in our lives, we are made strong. The more we trust him and his power, the weaker we are in ourselves but the stronger we are to face life and the works of Satan. Paul says this power from the Spirit that is within us is able to accomplish exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or even imagine. Yes, life is hard and often unfair but with each trial comes strength and the more we trust God, the more the impossible become reality in our lives. We can accomplish all things through Christ who strengthens us.
O Lord God, thank you for every opportunity you give me to put my trust in you, even when it means hardship or trials on my part. Help me move my focus from myself to you and not worry about the things of this world but live for the time I can be with you in eternity. Use me to help others by the things I say and do and by the example I leave behind. Thank you for all those who have helped me over the years in more ways than I even realize. I need your wisdom and your strength every hour of every day. This I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
