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Encouraging & Inspiring

Tag: Psalms

  • Finding Hope in Despair: Lessons from the Cross

    “My God, my God, why have you left me?”
    That was his desperate cry as life’s weight came crashing down, suffocating him. He felt completely alone, abandoned. He called out, hoping someone would hear — but no one answered. No one was there. His enemies circled around him, closing in, and all he could hear was silence. His cries just seemed to fade into the wind.

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    Most of us, when we hear those words, think of Jesus on the cross — and we should (we’ll talk more about that in a minute). But those words didn’t start with Jesus. They were David’s words first.

    In the middle of deep suffering, David cried out to God and got nothing but silence in return. The weight of life mixed with the silence of God felt unbearable. So he asked, “Why, God?”

    And if we’re honest, we’ve all been there. Maybe not in the exact same way, but we’ve felt the crushing pressure of life and wondered if God had forgotten us. Maybe you’ve lost people you love, one after another, and you feel abandoned. Maybe your home or everything you’ve worked for was destroyed in a moment — and you feel lost, alone, and overwhelmed. Maybe the weight of life is pressing down so hard, you’re crying out, “Why, God?”

    But here’s the thing — even in those moments, we can find hope.

    And we find that hope when we look at the cross and look to Jesus.

    The cross reminds us that Jesus gets it. He knows exactly what it feels like to be abandoned, to feel completely alone, and to be crushed by sorrow. Remember, He even prayed, asking if there was another way. But the cross still came. And those hours of suffering? We can’t fully grasp how painful they were, but we know they were excruciating. Jesus endured all of that, and because He did, He understands exactly how we feel when life is too heavy to carry. And the best part? He’s promised to be right there with us through it all. Hebrews 13:5 says, “I will never leave you. I will never abandon you.”

    Looking at the cross gives us hope, not only because Jesus understands, but because it reminds us that this isn’t the end of the story.

    On that day, as Jesus endured the weight of God’s wrath, He knew vindication was coming. He knew victory was just around the corner. His pain wasn’t the final word. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Because of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” The cross wasn’t the end — the empty tomb was.

    And the same is true for us. When life feels unbearable, we can look ahead to victory.

    This season of struggle won’t last forever. There’s vindication, restoration, and joy coming.

    Psalm 22 — the same chapter where David cries out in despair — doesn’t end in hopelessness. It ends with victory. Verse 24 says:
    “For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
    He has not turned his back on them,
    but has listened to their cries for help.”

    So if you’re feeling crushed right now, like there’s no way out — look to the cross. Look to Jesus. He knows exactly how you feel. And just like His story didn’t end in suffering, neither will yours. Victory is coming.

    Thanks for reading.

  • Hannah’s Prayer: A Lesson in Faith

    As he watched, the priest wondered if she was drunk. She was at the temple, and it appeared as if she was praying. But the priest thought there was something odd about her appearance. Her mouth was moving but no words were coming out, and was she weeping? He approached her and boldly asked, “Are you drunk?”

    She explained that she was sober. She was just so involved in her prayer that he thought she was under the influence. Her name is Hannah, and we read her story in 1 Samuel 1. We find out she is going through a really hard time, and she has come to the temple to pour her heart out to the Lord.

    The Bible encourages us to pray without stopping; we should always be communicating with the Lord. In the best of times and in the worst of times, the Lord wants to help us, and we can talk with him through prayer just like Hannah, and just like David.

    David exhorts in Psalm 62:8, “O my people trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.”

    When David and Hannah were going through rough times, they poured their hearts out to the Lord. When they were in the best of times, they thanked God in prayer. They always prayed and left a mark in history challenging us to do the same.

    Our prayers are just conversations with the Lord. They don’t have to be fancy, and we don’t have to be overwhelmed by the idea we may say the wrong thing. You see, we’re having a conversation with a great friend who doesn’t judge us by the words we use, but by what is in our heart. The Lord is always listening and always desiring to hear from us.

    Spend some time talking with the Lord today. Share your thoughts with him. Ask for guidance as you plan tomorrow. Ask for help with your struggles. Don’t be afraid. He is your friend who wants to hear from you.

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  • Psalm 59: A Fortress in Life’s Struggles

    His enemies were hard at work. The bullies were continually taunting and chasing him. Gossip about him was always being spread. There was no rest, and it was this struggle that gave birth to Psalm 59. David wrote these words of encouragement:

    “But I will sing of your strength,

    in the morning I will sing of your love;

    for you are my fortress,

    my refuge in times of trouble.

    You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

    you, God, are my fortress….”

    As David wrote Psalm 59, his enemies surrounded his home with murder on their minds (1 Samuel 19), yet he knew he could rely on the Lord. We may not awake to find our home surrounded, but our enemies are hard at work. The taunting of a bully, harassment of a coworker, or the passing of a loved one may be overwhelming us. It may be the crippling affects of physical illness that is crushing us. Our worries batter us; our struggles bruise us. Our enemies have many shapes and sizes, but the truth of Psalm 59 conquers them all. The Lord is our fortress; he is our strength. The Lord reminds us his grace is sufficient. His grace is all we need (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    It is no secret life can be hard. but we can rely on the Lord. When we are feeling battered, he is our fortress. When we’re feeling bruised, he is our refuge.

    Allow this truth to sink in for a moment, then go out and face your enemies with a newfound confidence. You know the Lord is your fortress on whom you can rely.

    Thanks for reading.

  • Sunshine and Thunderstorms

    There is an errand I typically complete by walking to the store. The weather is usually cooperative, but a few weeks ago as I was walking home, it started to rain. With each step, the rain intensified until I found myself caught in a down poor.

    As I was splashing my way home, I realized this is a metaphor for life. Life’s sunshine may usually shine, but occasionally, we find ourselves in the rain. Perhaps even a torrential down poor, but the truth of God’s Word is always the same.

    Whether we are gingerly walking through the sunshine of life or running through life’s thunderstorms, the Lord is helping us.

    “The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore” (Psalm 121:5-8).

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  • Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

    A nice house, lots of money, and an awesome car. It seemed John had it all. He may have gained his possessions through a questionable lifestyle. Working as an illegal drug runner provided a great income for John, and no one was judging him. That is, except for John himself.

    One morning, as John was pulling into his garage, reality hit him in the gut. He had everything, yet he had nothing. He could buy anything, but he was lonely. He didn’t have any friends, and he believed if he died, no one would even care. He had a sense of hopelessness wash over him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and searched the word “hope” on YouTube. A video popped up where John heard these words. “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Matthew 5:3).

    John dwelled on these words, and as the day continued, he realized there was hope in this promise.

    Just as John found hope in this promise, you and I can as well.

    • “For this is how God loved the world: He gave  his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).
    • “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9).
    • “For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:11:12). 

    Realizing our need for God is the first step in finding hope in the promises he makes us.

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  • 24/7 Watchman

    Countless hours of sleep have been lost to worry and anxiety. Our minds are preoccupied, so we have difficulty falling asleep. Worrisome thoughts continually force their way into our slumber causing us to suddenly awaken. Worry and anxiety try to rob you and I of the rest we deserve, but Scripture offers hope.

    Psalm 121 reminds us of a 24/7 watchman, who is constantly looking after us. “He will not let you stumble. The one who watches over you will not slumber – indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps” (Psalm 121:3-4).

    Allow those words to soak in for a moment. The Lord is watching over us, and he never takes a break. Psalm 121 reminds us the Lord is always watching; he is always protecting, so we can rest.

    The next time worry refuses to let you sleep, or anxiety loudly bangs on the door in the middle of the night, Try remembering the promise of Psalm 121. You have a 24/7 watchman!

    Thanks for reading, and please share.

  • Rock-Solid Promise 8: Lord Helps With Tough Decisions

    Hard decisions seem to always present themselves in life. You and I are put in between a rock and a hard spot. No matter what we decide we feel something is lost. The Lord offers this rock-solid promise for these moments.

    8. The Lord will help with those tough decisions.

    Scripture promises…

    • Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
    • Proverbs 16:9 remarks, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
    • James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

    When tough decisions come, remember, the Lord will help you decide. This is a rock-solid promise we can carry through 2024 and beyond.

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  • Rock-Solid Promise 7: The Lord Will Help With Heart Break

    Heart break is unavoidable as we go through life, so you and I may experience a broken heart this year. I certainly hope our year doesn’t include heart break. I don’t have it on my list of wanted experiences, but if it occurs, Scripture promises the Lord will help.

    7. The Lord will help us with heart break.

    Psalm 34:18 promises, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

    If you land in a season of broken heartedness this year, you can rely on the Lord to help. He will walk with you through that time and into a better season.

    Thanks for reading. Please share. We’ll talk again tomorrow at 6 a.m. Eastern.

  • Rock-Solid Promise 2: The Lord Always Helps Us

    Here is the 2nd of 10 rock-solid promises to which we can cling in 2024 and beyond.

    2. The Lord will always be there to help us.

    Since he is not leaving us, the Lord will always be there to help us.

    • “Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me” (Psalm 118:7).
    • “My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth” Psalm 121:2).
    • Hebrews 13:6 says, “So we can say with confidence, ‘My help comes from the Lord, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

    No matter where we find ourselves, the Lord is always willing to help us. So, as the trials and struggles of today and the year emerge, remember, we can rely on the Lord for help.

    Thanks for reading. We’ll be here tomorrow with promise 3.

  • Claiming Victory: A promise from Psalm 118

    “My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory” (Psalm 118:13-14).

    These words of the Psalmist can bring great encouragement to you and I. They were written at a time of high stress and tension.

    During this time, the Jewish people were struggling to rebuild their community and their temple in Jerusalem, and they faced opposition and persecution from their neighboring nations. Despite these challenges, the psalmist expresses confidence and trust in God’s protection and salvation, and celebrates God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

    Perhaps today is a time of high stress and tension for you. Look again at these words of the Psalmist. The Lord is his strength. The Lord has given him victory. Though we are surrounded by stress and tension, we can be assured the Lord is bringing about a victory.

    If you’re struggling today, cling to this promise. The Lord is your strength and your song; he will give you victory.

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