Tag: adversity

Categories
Proverbs Devotionals

When our strength is small

If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small. (Proverbs 24:10, ESV)

It would be easy to look at these words and condemn ourselves if we find ourselves faltering in the face of adversity.

To look at ourselves and say, “How weak I am! I should be stronger than this!”

But the truth is, our strength is small. And if we rest in our own strength, we will falter. No matter how strong we may be, we will always find situations that are too big for us. 

So what do we do? 

Paul tells us.

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. (Ephesians 6:10)

Or as the psalmist put it,

Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always. (Psalm 105:4)

And let us remember our Lord’s own words. 

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

So in these times of adversity, let us take on Paul’s attitude.

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. 

So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ.

For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Categories
Psalms Devotionals

Though we may sorrow

prayer

Life is not always easy. David himself knew this and wrote many songs of lament, including this one, Psalm 5.

But though we sorrow in the midst of a broken world, here are some things to remember.

1. Who God is. Namely, who God is to us. He is our God. And he is our King (Psalm 5:2).

What does that mean practically? It means we are to honor him. And we are to obey.

Christians nowadays like to think of God as Father or Friend. And he is those things.

But in the midst of our complaints, let us not forget he is also our God and King. And he is worthy of our honor and obedience.

2. God’s character. Sometimes, we look at the evil around us, and we start to question God’s character. We wonder if he is truly good.

But remember that though he may sometimes seem “slow” when it comes to dealing with evil, he will ultimately bring justice (2 Peter 3:8-10).

And on that day, all will know the truth of David’s words.

You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you. (Psalm 5:4)

No matter what evil we may see around us, let us never grow cynical about God’s character.

3. We too come before God only by his grace (7). We may get angry at the evil people around us, but let us remember with humility that without God’s grace, we’d be under God’s judgment as well.

4. Our need for God’s leading and his help to do what’s right. Especially when we’re in the midst of adversity. So with David, let’s pray,

Lord, lead me in your righteousness
because of my adversaries (or problems, as the case may be);
make your way straight before me. (8)

Finally, let us choose to rejoice and boast in our Lord (11).

It is so easy to fall into a spirit of complaining when troubles come.

Let us rather choose to take refuge in our God, and rejoice in him.

It will amaze you how much your perspective will change and how much smaller your problems will seem in the light of God’s greatness. 

Categories
Proverbs

True friends

I’ve been fortunate over the course of my life to have found some really good friends.  People who have been there for me during the good times and bad.

Several years ago, I was reminded of just how important such friends are. 

I was involved in a small group at church, where about 5 of us got together twice a month to talk about God, share what was going on in our lives, and pray. And it was a pretty tough time for many of us. 

The company I was working for went through bankruptcy, and I was unemployed, another person was having girlfriend problems, another was breaking up with his fiancee, and another had just found out his wife had cancer.

Needless to say, we were all in need of friendship at that time, and those friendships helped pull us through our difficulties.

Solomon writes about such friendships saying,

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.  (Proverbs 17:17)

And again,

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  (Proverbs 18:24)

When I was in high school, my father told me, “I know you’re shy, but you really need to make some friends, close friends that you can really talk to.  You don’t need a lot of close friends, but you should have at least one.”

At the time he said this, I did have friends, but none that I could really open up myself to.  And his words really struck home with me. 

By God’s grace, I was able to find some very good ones shortly thereafter that really helped shape me throughout my high school and college years.

I suppose the question we need to ask ourselves is two-fold. 

First, do we have those kinds of friends? 

And second, what kind of friends are we? 

Are we friends that are bred for helping others through adversity, or do we run at the first sign of trouble?

In chapter 19, Solomon writes of such “friends.”

Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man’s friend deserts him.  (Proverbs 19:4)

And in verse 7,

A poor man is shunned by all his relatives — how much more do his friends avoid him! 

Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.

How about you?  When your friends are in need, whether physically or emotionally, do you disappear?  Or are you there for them?

This is not to say that we are to bail our friends out of every financial trouble they find themselves in.  But we should do everything we can to help them overcome their troubles and stand once again.

Are you a fair-weathered friend?  Or a true one?