April 7, In the Battle

Today’s reading: Psalms 31-35

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles” - Psalm 34:17.

It seems like the psalmists were constantly in a lot of trouble, not always of his own doing. In today’s verse, the writer penned a truth that was not just relevant in his life but also in the life of all the saints: they cry out, God hears and delivers them. The challenge is that the deliverance is often through the trouble and not out of the trouble. This is further explained in Hebrews 11:34b: “. . . whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in the battle, routing foreign armies.” People were not spared from battle but were strengthened in the battle. Is your expectation that God will keep you from trouble? Do you find God instead giving you strength for and in the battle? Can you make peace with the fact that this is how God operates? Are you in a battle right now? Then have faith that God will deliver you as you fight your way through.