Made to see hard things

You have made your people see hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger. (Psalm 60:3, ESV)

Those words struck me today. Sometimes God does make his people see hard things, things that make us stagger.

I’ve seen my father go blind in an accident. Years later, I saw his life fading away in a hospital.

I have seen the company I work at go bankrupt forcing me into unemployment for nine months.

I have seen friends die before their time.

And of course, we have all seen the effects of Covid-19.

And yet David says,

You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
that they may flee to it from the bow. (4, ESV)

Those words remind me of Exodus 17:15, where Moses called the Lord Himself, “Our Banner!”

He is the one we run to. He is the one we rally to when are afraid and struggling. And he is the one who brings us salvation.

Suffering and hard times are a part of life. But those times are never in vain for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose. Rather, as Paul said,

…affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

That love was proven to us on the cross (Romans 5:6-8).

So in these times, let us rally to the cross, remembering that Jesus is no longer hanging there, but has conquered death itself. And because of him, we will ultimately find victory! (Psalm 60:12)