Then Deborah said to Barak, Go! Turn your eyes to him and allow him to surround you with his love and strength. Why call me Naomi? What type of prayer do you need to have to change your mindset on difficulty, to see it as God having your right where he wants you? Psalm 51: The Prayer of a Repentant Sinner bible study, The bearers of the Ark had scarcely advanced six steps, when David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Get the Surrounded Devotional 14 days of exploring how God is with you in the storm and learning how to fight your battles by praising God. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyones chains came loose. Only one returned to Jesus to thank him. Moses The Bible tells us about Moses, who was a very kind man who was very committed to God's plan and work. While it is easy to focus on earthly solutions during difficult moments, God is capable of helping us in ways we may never imagine. We might not have the title Deborah did, but life demands a lot from us each day: settling disputes, helping people with marriages, finances, kids, and health. Jumping and dancing before the LORD, she felt for him a deep contempt. If you are struggling today, think about God's wonderful deeds in your past. The jailer then took Paul to his home to wash his wounds. Then Jacob prayed, O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac O LORD, you told me, Return to your own land and to your relatives. And you promised me, I will treat you kindly. [10] I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. Terms of Service At this time in history, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was influenced by those around him to set up an image of gold and require everyone in the land to bow down and worship it. He was God and didnt have to give thanks for anything, but he often did. He cried out to God. Living through a stormy season? Hannah Hannah gave a long prayer of thanks to God in 1 Samuel 2 because God granted her petition for a son. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. David: trusting God when life is not how you pictured it, 7. We can enjoy Davids grateful heart in the book of psalms, where this man inspired by God knew how to pour out his heart before the omnipotent God through the most beautiful words and poems. When Jesus entered a village (Luke 17) there were ten lepers that called out to him for healing. Deborah: Trusting God through the demands of life, 2. The bearers of the Ark had scarcely advanced six steps This was not at all how we pictured our life. (4) We can be thankful in difficult times . A young girl filled with immense thanks knew exactly where her praise was to be directed. So I will continue dancing in the presence of the Of course, this is by no means an easy thing to do. I will extol theLordat all times;his praise will always be on my lips.I will gloryin theLord;let the afflicted hear and rejoice.Glorify theLordwith me;let us exalthis name together.I sought theLord,and he answered me;he deliveredme from all my fears. But today we take a look at people who uniquely gave thanks with all their heart. May God be blessed, he says, because of his mercy. How did she do it all? When left unchecked, this doubt that God or people care can lead us to push away the very relationships that are meant to help us get through our hard times. While the governor did not believe Paul was guilty, he kept Paul in prison for two years, hoping someone would give him a bribe for Pauls release. Why praising God through your worst days is the best battle plan you have? Jobs story reminds me of this testimony I heard about a Christian couple who lost their children in a traffic accident. He blessed him and said, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.". The expression, I will still praise him signifies an inner determination and a forward-facing outlook. 2023 Deep Spirituality / Privacy Policy. Knowing hell meet us when we are most broken is the beautiful reality of living the abundant life. As the story of David and our experience with our oldest illustrate, Gods destiny for our lives does not change because of our circumstances. How do you handle adversity? I have hope, he is faithful to help, and he is my God! Haman, Xerxes right-hand man, had it out for the Jews, and convinced the king to send out a verdict to kill them on a certain date (Esther 3:12-13). Hes willing to help us work through our pain and defenses to transform us into someone new. Who is someone that you could reach out and help this week? Someone from the Bible who faced similar difficulties is Paul, who lost his freedom and was imprisoned multiple times throughout his ministry. Ecclesiastes 9:11 teaches us that time and chance happen to us allin other words, everyone will, at some point or another, experience some adversity. 1. We do not have to be in harsh environments like a desert to encounter difficult times. This is a basic principle. Hearing this, I realised that even though we may never understand why bad things happen, trusting in God helps us to move forward in the best way possible. Brittany and her husband Ryan make their home in the Rocky Mountains, pursuing outdoor adventures, great food, and memorable stories together. In preparation for my audience with the king, do this: gather together all the Jews in Susa, and fast and pray for me. We can look to her as an example for how to handle the chaos of our daily lives. She had visited many doctors and had spent all she had on treatments. This allows him to focus on God his Savior, the One who will bring deliverance and victory. Deborah was one of those amazingly talented people who seemed to be able to do it all. It is never easy to make it through difficult phases of life. And I will lower myself even more until I completely humble myself. This is the day the LORD has given Sisera into your hands. So what did Moses do? We can draw near to him by singing psalms or hymns, or reflecting on his goodness and speaking well of him. Evidently, King Saul found out that David was anointed as king in his place, in addition to the fact that the people came to love David for being a brave man in battle, who constantly delivered them from the hands of their enemies. So King Saul took on the task of making Davids life impossible, persecuting him and trying to kill him, and although David had multiple opportunities to put an end to all that, he steadfastly refused to lay a finger on the king, firmly believing that the God who had anointed him would find a way to put him on the throne. Although the woman in this passage was unnamed, her story of faith is unforgettable and inspires me to never give up. This was her response: How am I supposed to see the king? The Bible has many great examples of individuals who journeyed through tough times with God by their side. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Earlier on in his life, Moses ran to the wilderness to flee from Pharaoh who wanted to kill him. For the past few years my spouse and I have been trying to start a family. Deborah believed and trusted God in a way that can be hard for us to do. But before all that can happen, God gave Isaiah an intense vision that overwhelmed him. Learning from Jesus to see past our failures and find our potential. But then she was faced with a dilemma. Hope is what keeps us going when our desires seem to go unfulfilled and hard times come our way. in a linen ephod, he began to dance before the LORD with great enthusiasm. However, those same slaves of whom you speak will honor me. What would that have done to your faith in God. Deepen and inspire your prayers with the Pray Deep Prayer Cards! Bible verses about praising God can help guide your prayers in these times. David was the last of his brothers, in a large family where all were strong and courageous men of war, except him, who was a shepherd boy. Dont be like one of the nine that was blessed and moved on. I cannot see because Im deep in the fog of depression. God doesnt want us to be held back by our past, and wants to help us be able to move forward. In Psalm 34, David reminds us that we should praise God through the good times and bad. He gave thanks as he was surrounded by thousands of hungry people and multiplied the food. A Bible version designed to "recapture the emotion of God's Word" was removed from Bible Gateway last week. Why so disturbed within me? God was real and present in her life. When we go through hard times, it can be easy to feel alone. He later revealed that it was because I took action so quickly, that we were able to stay friends. in a linen ephod, he began to dance before the LORD with great enthusiasm. Our destiny is determined by God. There were no warriors in Israel until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose to be a mother to Israel. Are you honest with God about the depths of your pain? Instead, she chose to act despite her fear, and rallied her friends and family around her to pray for her as she spoke to the king. She believed that victory was already hers through God. His connection to God deepens during difficulties. If you keep reading her story, youll see that Esther does in fact speak to the king and saves her people. But we can take comfort from the stories of these five Bible characters: with God, nothing is impossible to overcome. Then suddenly, because of a jealous king, David spent the next ten or more years running from Saul, held up in a cave with a motley crew of misfits. Imagine being one of the Israelites who walked through the Red Sea and saw Pharaohs army destroyed. He was the hero who defeated Goliath, successful in war and had the love of the people. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Joseph Joseph was 17 the first time he had his dreams about ruling over his family. Carrie Underwood Sings 'Go Rest High On That Mountain' to Honor Vince Gill, What We Can Do Today to Reach People in Need, 10 Ways to Deal with the Difficult People in Your Church, 7 Ways to Study the Bible Like Billy Graham, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God. Scriptures to Show How Important Grandparents Are. They can happen even when we are surrounded by comfort. Many years after being anointed, and after the death of King Saul in battle, David ascends to the throne, and there it becomes evident in the scriptures the disorders of Davids life and how he coldly orders Bathshebas husband to be killed. Deborahs family (the people of Israel) had its dysfunctions just like many of ours do. Read Chapter All Versions. In another incident, Paul was falsely accused of bringing Gentiles into the synagogue. Lift these difficulties up to God in prayer. It broke all the chains and opened the doors of the prisoners! Thus the first step in seeking the Lord during your hard times is to examine your heart and confess your sins, relying on His grace through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. There is no greater joy than seeing Gods destiny rise above our circumstances. But Mordecai wanted to help her see that the impact she was capable of having was greater than the risk. Do you believe your difficult situation can be an opportunity for God to come through? But even though God is love, and He loves every one of His children, He leads us . / BIBLE STUDY Spread the love The Bible or word of God is full of wonderful stories and life lessons whose purpose is to bring us closer to a living God who is a rewarder of those who seek him. Your privacy is protected. He thenaccepted that trusting God through it all was enough. It took ten years, but our oldest finally returned to God. We can still praise him for the Cross and the Resurrection. 2. Later, in the midst of Job's suffering, his friends got into a debate with him. Whose life are you meant to impact in the midst of difficulty? Putting our faith in God meant we were not going to quit, but rather continue to learn and grow and change what we needed to change. If I had this strong of a belief that Gods hand was in every effort of my day, I would be a lot more content with each days accomplishments. Sometimes difficulty isnt a drastic tragedy, but the busy chaos of managing life. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!For the Lord is a great God,and a great King above all gods. He worshiped after the death of his son. [12] But you promised me, I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore too many to count.. Is your faith based on the outcome of your difficult situation? People from all over the region rushed to him and pressed against him. If youre going through a hard time, are you relying on God and friends, or are you pushing them away? The temptation to believe that our dreams were shattered, our hopes destroyed and God no longer had a plan for our lives was strong. Praising God in hard times requires faith. They accused Job of sinning, asserting that his suffering was Gods punishment. Eve. In Mark 5, we find a scene that is prevalent throughout the gospels: a large crowd has gathered around Jesus. Even in their position, Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego did not feel the need to defend their decision to not comply with the kings edict. Many of us struggle with the restrictions on our freedoms during this COVID-19 pandemic. in the Bible stand out, helping us to know how we should be grateful to God and what we gain from it. He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). How Do We Know What God's Best for Us Is? He can give praise to our God even when He felt abandoned. - Luke 10:27. What by faith can you do that might feel risky? She was just a young girl who was trying to survive. My gut churns with pain. Mordecai believed in Esther even when she didnt believe in herself. The Bible or word of God is full of wonderful stories and life lessons whose purpose is to bring us closer to a living God who is a rewarder of those who seek him. 1. I'm just an ordinary girl following an extraordinary God, learning to seek God's possible in this world of impossible. ax. It would be safe to say this is not how David pictured his journey toward becoming the king of Israel. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. While visiting with Elizabeth, who was carrying John the Baptist at the same time Mary was pregnant with Jesus, the young girl had a moment of exclamation. Below are 20 verses of praise to help you get started. Put your hope in God, With all her heart she praised God in the aftermath of turning over her biggest prayer request. He never changes. Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. David was anointed King of Israel, was hailed a hero for conquering Goliath, led numerous successful military campaigns, became head of military operations for Israel, married the kings daughter he had it all going for him. Some people suffer for what they have done; others suffer because of what people have done to them. We. She stepped out of the shadows, made her way through the crowd and told the whole truth so she could get closer to Jesus. King David is another member of royalty from the Bible who faced troubled periods. How is God trying to be a friend to you? , whom he had already taken as a wife knowing that she was each. The primary character tested in the Bible is Jesus, who faces the ultimate testHis death on a cross. God showed his faithfulness with Zechariah and Elizabeth by working to bless their lives even after they waited a long time. She was a leader, a judge, a prophetess, a wife, and a mother. We wont spam you. Your safety isnt guaranteed. 1. I get stuck wanting my own way that I miss what God is doing and the doors He is opening. I pray youll be encouraged and take hope in Gods power, even as the battles seem to close in around you. Since God knows and is working everything out according to His plan and purpose, we can praise and thank God even in difficult times. [30] Jacob named the place Peniel (which means face of God), for he said, I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.. By submitting, I accept The Lifes Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. And along with that, she courageously led her people into battle. My resistance to vulnerability makes me unsympathetic and fake. Certainly, all of us are going through the current COVID-19 pandemic. People hang banners across their mantles proclaiming give thanks and others share on Facebook something they are grateful for each day in November. Because faithfulness (or in Hebrew, emet) is the last word used to describe . Psalm 71:14 (NLT). In these moments, our fear of failure, rejection, and humiliation are very real, and so is the dilemma of choosing to either face that fear or freeze up or run away. Be honest with yourself, God, and friends. David trusts the word of God and knows that God is worthy to be praised. Someone in the Bible who understands this dilemma is Esther. 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