Faithful Friday - A Role Model for Trusting God

On its face, Psalm 31 looks like a desperate prayer. David is in a state of distress as he begs the Lord to deliver him from the trials he faces!

Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble;

My eye wastes away with grief,

Yes, my soul and my body!

For my life is spent with grief,

And my years with sighing;

My strength fails because of my iniquity,

And my bones waste away.

I am a reproach among all my enemies,

But especially among my neighbors,

And am repulsive to my acquaintances;

Those who see me outside flee from me.

I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;

I am like a broken vessel.

For I hear the slander of many;

Fear is on every side;

While they take counsel against me,

They scheme to take away my life.

-- Psalm 31:9-13 (NKJV) --

David feels alone, and his loneliness is taking a toll on his physical and mental health. I can relate to his pleas!  However, rather than allowing loneliness to turn into hopelessness, David remembers the times when God saw him through other trials. He recalls:

"You have known my soul in adversities

And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy" (vv. 7-8)

and,

"For I said in my haste,

'I am cut off from before Your eyes';

Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried out to You." (v. 22)

David realizes from past experiences that God is on his side! Instead of blaming God or becoming angry, David resolves to put his trust in God:

"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;

I say, 'You are my God."

My times are in Your hand" (vv. 14-15)

Furthermore, he instructs us all to do the same:

"Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!

For the LORD preserves the faithful,

And fully repays the proud person.

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the LORD." (vv. 23-24)

What an amazing role model David is for all of us!

Side note: I also use Psalm 31 as a model for prayer. It's hanging up on the wall of our office at home. Sometimes I read through it, and use Post-Its to write mini-prayer reminders that relate to a particular verse. Then I pray through them all! 

xo Christina

Faithful Friday

Marquis at Simply Clarke, one of my favorite bloggers, wrote a post today called What Is a Disciple? She explains "discipleship" in a way that I can completely relate to, and it was something that I really needed to read this morning.

In Matthew 16:24-26, Jesus instructed His disciples: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

"Take up your cross and follow Me." How many of us, even us Christians, are really doing this?

Not choosing the parts of the Bible we feel are relevant and avoiding the rest.

Not "toeing the line" between His plan and ours.

Not following Him but complaining the whole time.

I'm feeling a little convicted right now. How about you?

A few months ago, Emily at Newlywed Moments (another of my fave bloggers!) wrote THIS post about trusting God, even when we don't understand what He's doing in our lives. Em concluded that we need to trust Him NO MATTER WHAT and "be faithful in the little things". I really like that phrase. It means that even when things aren't going the way I want or expect, I still must faithfully:

Follow His Word daily 

{{wake up and read my Bible/devotional even though I don't want to get out of bed}}

Praise Him for what He's given us 

{{even when I feel like I deserve more that what I currently have}}

Be a kind, loving, respectful wife to hubs 

{{even when I feel sad, miserable, lonely and friendless}}

Act as a good testimony to others 

{{smile, be joyful, be a good witness at work - even when I wish I was anywhere but}}

Pray for what others are going through 

{{even when I feel like my own problems are bigger and more important}}

Jesus says we have to deny ourselves for His sake. That means that the little plan I have in my head {{ALWAYS}} about how my life could/should/is going to be? He wants me to throw it out the window. He's in the driver's seat. I AM NOT.

All He wants me to do is follow Him. Trust him and be faithful to him. He will decide the rest. And it WILL be better than anything I could plan myself.