Although I understand how to get physical rest—by going to bed earlier, taking more time to relax, and slowing my pace—the concept of finding spiritual rest is difficult to wrap my head around.
This psalm provides help for the helpless. No matter how bad life may seem, God is in control. And because He’s sovereign, He’s a perfect refuge and place to hide when life comes unglued. Why is God’s sovereignty such a help to us? We’ll see in Psalm 46 how the Lord’s sovereign power puts our fears to rest and instils triumphant confidence.
Longfellow captured the tragedy of the Civil War through his words. You can almost hear the cannons firing and see the smoke filling the air. He found a confident hope amid the chaos of a horrific war and personal grief.
What is it about human nature that just has to disobey the signs? We see the words “Do Not Touch” and we have this unexplainable urge to do the opposite. Obedience is not something that comes naturally to us—that’s human nature. The good news is God gives us the power to overcome our sinful inclinations.
To illustrate how God uses ordinary people, let’s travel back in time to a period of history called the Reformation. The Reformation’s heroes and battlefields may not be as recognizable as the American Revolution’s George Washington and Valley Forge. Yet the soldiers who led a religious revolution from the 1300s to the 1500s made a tremendous difference in what matters most to us—our understanding of God, the Bible, and salvation.
You are important to God, never doubt it. During tough times it’s easy to forget God is with you and knows exactly where you are. Whatever difficulty you’re experiencing, trust God. He is a present help in trouble.
Rather than lamenting our culture’s failure to acknowledge our great and powerful God, let’s turn our full attention to Him who is enthroned above us, who reigns over us, because He alone is our shalom, shalom.
A believer who wades through God’s favour and God’s blessing and God’s bounty day after day, week after week, year after year can begin to court the dangers of erosion. How? Things get to be predictable. They become routine. You grow cynical.
Pastor Chuck Swindoll teaches from Genesis 6:5 and Psalm 51:1–5, explaining how the work of Jesus can move you from victim of failure to victor over sin! Find out how His regenerating work leads to lasting change.
Joy—it makes people wonder at your secret. Yet joy is no secret to the trusting Christian. When we choose to grow closer to God, resting in His character and provision, joy spills over into our lives so that others can’t help but notice.
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Insight for Living is committed to excellence in communicating the truths of Scripture and the Person of Jesus Christ in an accurate, clear, and practical manner so that people will come to an understanding of God’s plan for their lives, as well as their significant role as authentic Christians in a needy, hostile, and desperate world.
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