How Everything Holds Promise

This verse holds so much promise. Protection, favor and blessing await the one who relies on the Lord. Some of us might be in a season where we’re being allowed to experience what might not feel like those things. But as someone who has walked through many seasons of a variety of pain, betrayal and rejection, I can say with confidence God’s character and plan for me didn’t change. Let me explain.

When I was growing up, I didn’t know how to pick friends who were very loving. It took two “stabs in the back” so to speak for me to understand that there are some people who are more faithful than others. I’m certainly not saying our friends will be perfect, there must be grace and love poured out consistently on both sides for relationships to work! In fact, I’d go so far as to say if you’re always “being stabbed in the back” the chances are that you might be the one holding the knife. But after decades of building deeply meaningful friendships after these betrayals, I can say confidently God used them marvelously.

One of my dear friends shared this statement with me and I’ve carried it in my heart since. “I don’t name things coming in my life blessings or challenges anymore. Because the blessings are full of challenges and the challenges always become blessings.” I love this so much! It allows us to remember that God doesn’t see things the way we do. He allowed me to feel the sting of pain. When I thought I should have been protected He was using it to teach me how to study a person’s character and develop my own. Those lessons protected me from so much more pain and sorrow because it taught me how to choose relationships more wisely.

Friends, no matter what situations we might be facing right now, God’s promises in this verse still apply. If we can take a look at our lives right now and assess what God is trying to teach us, we can always find the blessing, favor and protection. I pray this week that as we memorize this verse we can do this with more surrendered hearts!