Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:65-72
Ps 119:65-72 Teth
65 Do good to your servant according to your word, O LORD. 66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands. 67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. 68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. 69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. 70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. 71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. 72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
1 Peter 1:6-9
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I once heard the testimony of a young girl who had been brutally assaulted and raped. She told what a major trauma this was in her life and how it took her so long to get over it. She said her healing finally came when she was able to thank God for what had been done to her. She then used her life to minister to other girls and women who were abused or who had been mistreated.
What happened to her was horrible and she, nor anyone else would wish this on any boy or girl. It was not good in any way. But God did promise to use whatever happens to those who love him to be good in their lives. “When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade.” It is up to each of us to let God use the bad things that happen to us (and we all have them in various degrees) to make us better and to make our faith stronger. While it may sound trite, we can either become better or we can become bitter. When we, like the Psalmist, put our trust in God, we can learn to love him more and serve him by serving others in their struggles.
Heavenly Father it is through pain and suffering that my faith is tested but it is also with the same trials that it is made stronger. I am so thankful for the many times you have carried me through the hard times in life and have taken care of me and my needs. Thank you for friends who stepped in and helped me or who gave me encouragement to keep going. Thank you for your word and the truth it reveals to me in hard times. It is so good in times like this last year to know that I can always depend on you to be with me. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
