Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

 

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14)

More than once, David found himself in a situation where people had turned against him.   At one time Saul turned against him and tried to kill him.  Another time it was his best friend and his son Absalom along with all the people who all turned against him.

There is another time that David’s men all turned against him after raiders took his family and the families of his men.   1 Samuel 30:6 says, “And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

It is tempting, at least for me, in situations where people have turned against me to allow the inner critic to beat me up.    I blame myself and feel guilty about all the things I ever did wrong.     For me, as I judge myself for blowing it, this usually this involves emotional eating and a great deal of kicking myself for all the mistakes I ever made.

While some times of reflection in God’s presence can be maturing, David waited on the Lord in anticipation of His goodness and strengthened himself.  To be strong or strengthen himself is Strongs #2388, the Hebrew word chazaq.  It means to be or grow firm or strong.  It is in prevailing (not giving up or giving in) that one really matures.

Chasaq implies growth as one prevails against difficulty.  One holds fast and puts their efforts into prevailing against hardship, repair the situation, and resist evil.  It is a heart resolution to be encouraged in the Lord take hold of the truth and trust God is with you, supporting you and will uphold you through the difficulty. 

It is easy to quit when you have failed and feel defeated.   Often it is our own voice that is the worst enemy.   It is hard to keep getting back up and giving the situation in front of you all you have.

In Psalm 27:3, David said though a war breaks loose around him and he is attacked on every side, even then he remains confident.  Confident of what?  That he is right and they are wrong?  In himself or his own goodness?   His focus is not on himself at all.   Later in the Psalm in verse 13 he says, “I remain confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

He knew without a doubt that in the midst of his failures, difficulties, doubts and struggles that the one thing he could remain confident of and hold fast to was to eagerly anticipate that God would meet him in the situation with his goodness.   He strengthened himself to stand fast and not give up or walk away by remembering and trusting in God’s goodness to him.   

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Rather than quietly giving up and quitting, David was able to hold fast by keeping His confidence in God’s goodness towards him.  He pressed into his difficulties.   He knew that even though things might look terrible right now, that God would break in and turn it all around in His goodness.   He knew more than anything that God would not forsake him on his worst days and greatest failures. 

David said in Psalm 27:18, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”

Where do you need to give yourself grace for your failures and not use them as excuses to not press forward?  Where does God want to mature you by growing your confidence in His goodness?  Where is He calling you to persevere and hold fast?

Lord, encourage us in the difficulties that surround us and our failures.  Remind us that even if it seems that nobody else is with us, You still see us and lovingly receive us.   Help us to know we can trust you to meet us with your goodness when we stand fast in your purposes.