King David certainly had his ups and downs. He was hunted down for years, fearing for his life, living homeless in a land that God had already ordained him as king. He committed adultery which led him to murder a man through conspiracy. He was driven out of his kingdom by his own son. And that’s the short list! One thing that was never in question regardless of the hardships was his love for God. He knew that God loved him and through Him true justice would always be served. David wrote in Ps. 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.” He even goes on to say in verse 71 “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” David knew that even though he was going through hard times, the Lord was with him and that it was those hard times that brought him closer to God.

The Bible tells us that “the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (see Heb. 12:6). No one goes through life without hardships. It is during those times, if we take our grief and despair to Jesus and ask for mercy, healing and forgiveness, that we will feel His tender touch. Even though everything around us might seem unbearable, He will give us what we need to overcome the hardships. In 2 Cor. 4:8-9, Paul gives us some words of encouragement for those rough times: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Jesus knows your struggles, regardless of how desperate they might seem right now. Go to Him who is all powerful, all knowing, and completely capable of making you an overcomer. It is through Christ that all things are made new. Whether you are currently in good times or not so good times, Jesus is the only way to fully comprehend the goodness that is in them all. So, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

If you are in need of prayer, please visit the “prayer requests” page of our website. Also, we would love for you to visit us on Facebook at “Open Homes Fellowship”. As always, I look forward to your comments. God Bless.

All Scripture taken from “The New International Version” (2011)