Peace in a Day of Trouble
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! — Psalm 20:1 NASB
Unemployment, wars, terrorism, natural disasters, leaders’ poor decisions — times are hard.
But as our older relatives will tell us, hard times are nothing new. Flip through old family photo albums or history books, and see how difficult life was. Against the background of diseases, droughts, and financial depression, we see men and women of deep and abiding faith.
Turn in the Bible to the book of Psalms. There we hear the cries of God’s people in times of trouble. We also hear echoes of our own frustration, our own fears, and our pleas for help from the only One who understands, the One who can best respond.
When the troubles of this world crash in around you, flip through the pages of that photo album to gain some perspective. Then open the Psalms and find words of encouragement and peace for your weary soul. God is faithful, He understands, and He hears your prayers.
God, thank You for believers in ages past who struggled in times of trouble yet held fast to their faith. Help me to be able to hold fast to my faith. Amen.
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When a Bucket’s Not Enough
I leave you peace; My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
— John 14:27 NCV
Imagine being in the middle of a lake. The boat you’re sitting in has sprung a leak. The lake is deep, the shore is distant, and your boat is filling fast. You know what it feels like to be “troubled or afraid”!
What you need is a bucket to bail the water out — or do you? A bucket will only do so much. Sooner or later the water will come in faster than you can bail it out. You realize that if you want to stay afloat, you need to fix the hole in your boat.
When life is difficult, much is out of our control, and we feel ourselves sinking, we need to recognize that we aren’t able to bail ourselves out. We won’t find peace, much less our way back to shore, on our own. We need to fix the problem at its source—and only Jesus can do that. The peace as well as the guidance and help He offers will keep us afloat.
So the next time you reach for a bucket, consider reaching out for Jesus instead.
Lord, thank You that You give me not only the strength I need for the challenge, but also guidance, help, and peace when I’m sinking. Amen.
Excerpted with permission from 365 Devotions for Peace by Cheri Cowell, copyright Zondervan.
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Your Turn
God is faithful. Even in times when the water level is climbing and trouble seems like it will overcome us, we can hold onto our faith and reach out to Jesus for peace. Come share your thoughts on supernatural peace on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~Devotionals Daily
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