Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
The School of Hard Knocks
Today’s Verse:
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. ~Psalm 73:28
There are some things in life that are truly appreciated and well-learned only through experience. The school of hard knocks can, many times, be a difficult but profitable means for us in becoming wiser. Psalm 73 is the personal testimony of a believer who learned through trying circumstances that you can trust in God.
We see the psalmist and his disadvantage.
The psalmist felt very overwhelmed by the power and might of the enemy. He was envious of the foolish when he saw their prosperity. In his eyes, he saw the wicked and the ungodly prospering and godly people like himself going deeper into a hole. He did felt like he was not making progress and that things were getting worse and not better. He felt disadvantaged. We can get this way as well. We feel like life and God are not fair. We complain about our disadvantages and wonder why all this is happening. Be careful of times when you feel like you are disadvantaged.
We see the psalmist and his discovery.
He said in verse 17, “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” He went to the house of God and then he discovered that things were not as bad as they had appeared. He realized that God is still in control. He realized that God’s power does not diminish during our seasons of setback and disappointment. He realized that God still loved and cared for him. He saw that God was working for him. At that moment, he felt ashamed that he doubted the Lord. He realized that God did not give up on him, but he gave up on God. Beloved, we must keep our perspective right. We must never lose sight of God’s working in our life behind the scenes. Our most pressing and difficult times are the times when God is working the most in our behalf.
We see the psalmist and his decision.
He made the most important decision that we need to make when things don’t seem to be going our way. He said, “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart.” In spite of feeling drained and weakened by all the anxiety and worry, he drew strength from the Lord. He decided that he needed to draw near to God. Before this, he was at a distance from God. He needed to draw closer to the Lord. Tough times demand that we move closer to God! Then, he declared that he put his complete trust in the Lord. He saw how all of the things happening to him were for the purpose of teaching him to have faith in God. As God sees us, our faith in Him is very small. It is not until God allows overwhelming circumstances and trying moments to push us in a corner that we realize that the best thing for us to do is have faith in Him. In faith, we learn to let God lead our steps and to solve our problem.
This morning, it is good for each of us to draw near to God and have complete trust in His power and wisdom for us. He sees farther, knows more, and does a better job of handling our situation than we can. Perhaps, the school of hard knocks has you knocked down. Let this experience bring you closer to God in faith, dependence, and love for Him. What might appear bad, in the end, is something that is good.
Have a faith-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalms 78-79
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