Daily Delight

Earlier this week I sat with another and heard her story of loss.  Her pain was layered with nuances of regret, anger, and unforgiveness.  There was a weariness woven in the telling of her story.  The never-ending ‘repeat reel’ that played the ‘what if’ question and the ‘I should have…’ judgment had worn her down to exhaustion, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We prayed together, seeking God’s healing, wisdom, and grace for the moment.

My friend was not unique. All of us have been or will be in similar places at some time during our lives.  The only question is ‘when’ will we experience these times of weakness and trial.  Our reactions, however, are what will make the difference in the trajectory of our story from that point forward.

David writes, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!  O Lord, hear my voice!  Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!  I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I hope…”  (Psalm 130:1, 5 ESV)

Notice that David’s response to his dire circumstances is active waiting on the Lord.  He does not give in to the temptation to live from a position of despair.  He instead declares that God’s word is trustworthy by placing hope squarely on God’s Word.  John Piper further explains what it means to ‘wait on the Lord’, “To wait on God means to pause and soberly consider our own inadequacy and the Lord’s all-sufficiency, and to seek counsel and help from the Lord, and to hope in Him.”

Are you in the midst of trials and pain?  I urge you to determine to wait on God to work in powerful, miraculous ways in the midst of impossible; so that He can and will receive glory for the ways He brings deliverance and redemption.  Read and meditate on His Word.  The grand narrative of scripture reveals His fierce love and compassion for His children through the ages.  He will never forsake us.  His grace sustains, and His word provides life-giving perspective.  Let us all ‘wait for the Lord’ and hope in His word daily.

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Photo: @briannabroyles

	Bonnie Arends
	THURSDAY WRITER
	Bonnie is a woman who finds her identity and mission in Jesus. She is passionate that others will come to know the Living Hope that she lives in and from each day. Bonnie's life verse is, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). Bonnie lives 'in the middle of a cornfield' with her farmer husband and son. She enjoys the space and quiet of rural living and is especially thankful for the beautiful sunsets she experiences over the farm's vast pastures.