I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalms 34:1

“God is answering our prayers!”

We often proclaim this joyfully when what we’ve asked for by faith is coming into sight. Our sick relative is getting better. Our once empty womb is now sustaining new life. The job we’ve always dreamed of is now our reality. It is amazing to see and to experience the blessings of God. Praising Him during moments like these is not only easy and appropriate but also necessary to give God the glory He deserves. For we must remember, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

Yet there is another side to answered prayer:  prayer that at first sight appears unanswered. The relative is getting worse instead of better. The job went to someone other than you. Your womb is still pining for new life. You’ve prayed, you’ve sought, you’ve searched, you’ve surrendered, but the answer you long for has yet to arrive. Or maybe the answer has come, and it is unexpected and undesirable. Your loved one is now gone. You are now unemployed and uncertain where the money will come from. Your momma’s heart is mourning the lack of life within as you watch your friends placing their hands on their bulging bellies.

Regardless of what our eyes may see and our hearts may feel, however, we must remember that God always answers our prayers. Always. He may not answer them the way we had hoped or in the way we had expected. His answer may be completely opposite of what we had requested. But He always answers.

And regardless the answer, He still deserves the glory.

Now before you stop reading believing I’m an insensitive Christian whose never struggled a day in her life, I want to remind you of two things. First, God does not cause evil; it’s against His nature. Nor does He make bad things happen; bad things happen because we live in a fallen world full of fallen people. God does not tempt us; nor does He lead us astray.  His intentions are always pure and always just. And second, I am in no way minimizing your pain. Your pain is real. Your grief is real. Your struggle is real. Even Jesus suffered physical and emotional agony as He walked out His Father’s plan.

Evil, heartache, and pain exist; and they will remain until Jesus returns.

Yet regardless how we feel, how we hurt, or how we struggle, God is sovereign. And we must bless Him for His sovereignty. He has the power to use that sick relative to lead a nurse to the Lord. He has the ability to use your testimony at that relative’s funeral to reignite the passion of those present. He has the foresight to know that seemingly perfect job may not have been what was best for you; and another, more perfect job is on its way. He understands that while your womb may be empty, there is a child born to another woman–a child who desperately needs a family of his own–who will soon enter your home and ultimately your heart.

Or you may never see the purpose of your pain on this earth. You may never understand why your child has that disease. You may never know why you didn’t get that job. You may never understand why you remained without a child of your own.

Yet God is still God. And God is still good. As the popular song by Tree63 goes, “He gives and takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Now my dear fellow soldier, I do want to say it again: your pain is real. The heartache and uncertainty are not illusions. Nor can they be switched off in an instant. I am not asking you to ignore the hardships or bottle up your grief. What I am reminding you is that even when all seems lost, we must remember God always hears our prayers, and He always answers. God holds the entire world in His hands. He holds our past, our present, and our future. Although “now we see in a mirror dimly” and “know in part,” one day we will “know fully“(1 Corinthians 13:12). One day we will look back at our lives and see the hand of God moving through it all. Even the dark parts will be as light through the eyes of eternity.

So I encourage you today to thank God for answered prayers. Thank Him for the yeses. Thank Him for the nos. Thank Him for the not nows.  Thank Him even when it doesn’t make sense.  Thanking Him may not lessen your pain, and it in no way negates your grief, but it will magnify His name. And God calls us to praise Him. To praise Him continually. So whether you are walking through the valley, climbing the mountain, or standing victoriously on the mountaintop with arms open wide, God is always worthy of praise. God is worthy of praise even when His will is not our way. And I dare say God is worthy of our praise especially when His will is not our way.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord ; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord !
Psalms 27:13‭-‬14 ESV

Believe. That’s the word God has been impressing upon me these last few weeks. I am to believe all things are possible. I am to believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

And I have. I have seen His goodness.

“But Katie?” someone who knows me might reply. “You’ve been fighting a virus since the beginning of February, your husband was sick for several days, and both your kids have been sick as well. You’ve had to miss work, lose sleep, and disinfect your house several times. And didn’t you just attend the funeral of an amazing, faithful woman of God?”

Why, yes. Yes, all of the above has happened. But I have still seen the goodness of God through it all. Those initial days I had a fever and began fighting the virus? My parents happened to be coming for a visit. Because of their presence I was able to rest more than usual, which in turn helped my ability to fight the virus. I was back on my feet faster than if I had still needed to entertain children, cook, clean and do all the other duties that accompany marriage and motherhood. I also saw His goodness when my parents made it to Florida without catching the virus I had. They spent three days in a house full of yucky germs and came away without even a sniffle. My mom certainly smelled like hand sanitizer, but she was still healthy.

Then last week when I had to stay home from work a couple of days because of a sick child, I finally took time to go through the mail. In doing so, I discovered an overlooked letter requiring immediate action. If I had not gone through the mail, the consequences could have been quite unpleasant. The second day  I was home, a couple of cows happened to escape through a hole in the fence. If I’d been at work, they might have wandered into the road, which could have been disastrous for them and for the unlucky driver who might have hit them. Then, when I couldn’t get the cows in on my own, my husband–who because of his own illness was unable to go out of town on a work trip– was able to come home and get them back in.  If he hadn’t been so sick the days prior, he would have been out of town and I’d have had two cows roaming our property. Oh, and that document that had been sitting in our living room for weeks in need of notary’s signature? Since my husband was around, I was home, and our sick child amazingly felt decent enough to go out, we were able to go to the bank and get the job done.

But what about the friend who passed away?  Well, seeing three generations of family all in love with Jesus and proclaiming the faithfulness of my friend was both humbling and inspiring.  God was with me during that funeral reminding me of why I am here.  Even in death, my friend had inspired me to keep the faith and to keep my focus on the author and finisher of my faith.

Sure, at first sight, most of the above circumstances of my week might have appeared negative rather than positive. Sickness, overlooked mail, missed work, and death don’t necessarily scream “God is with you.” Yet with the right focus, with the eyes of faith looking intently at my Savior, I clearly saw God through it all. He was with me during our crazy weeks of sickness. He was with me as we quickly resolved the unexpected issue brought about by the letter.  He was with me as I drove to and from our old hometown to say “see ya in heaven” to a dear Christian lady. And He is with me now as I write of His faithfulness.

God is with me. I believe it. I see it. I see Him.

God is with you, too. Do you believe it? Do you see it? Do you see Him? Or have you found yourself asking such questions as “How is God in this?” or “Where are you God?” Maybe life has taken an unexpected turn. Maybe life has just gotten a bit crazy and you’re not sure how to reign it in. Maybe someone has done something to you that caught you by surprise and cut you to the core.  Or maybe God is shining His light on a place within you that you’ve kept in the dark for years. Well, whether things seem to be going every way except the way you wish they’d go, or whether you are actually in a season of peace and tranquility, God is with you.

God doesn’t promise a life free of heartache and trouble, but He does promise to never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus Himself reminds us in Matthew 28:20, “…and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually–regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age” (AMP). 

God is with you, my friend. He is with you right now.  If you can’t seem to see Him in the big things, then look for Him in the little.  Find Him in that green light when you’re running a bit late. Find Him in that unexpected email or text of encouragement from a friend. Find Him in the grocery store when the items you need are all on sale. Find Him as you lay down your head to rest at night knowing His mercies are new every morning. Believe that you will indeed see His goodness in the land of the living.

And you will.

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is a desert place. And he rose and went.”
Acts 8:26

“Oh, look. More desert.” These words facetiously came out of my mouth years ago as my husband and I traveled out west for vacation. We were having a great time visiting places like Monument Valley, Grand Canyon National Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park.  Yet as we traveled from one amazing sight to another, the landscape along the way was pretty monotonous: desert, desert, and more desert.

When it comes to desert places, there may be plenty of sand and dirt, but there’s often very little of anything–or anyone–else. A desert is often a dry, barren, and lonely place–not typically something dream vacations are made of.

And as Philip went about sharing the gospel, I doubt the desert place was on his travel itinerary either. He originally began preaching in the city of Samaria after escaping persecution at the hands of Saul.  And as Philip shared with the people of the city, “the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did” (Acts 8:6).  In other words, God used Philip mightily to draw many to Jesus. Even the apostles heard of what God was doing and joined Philip for a time, baptizing the new believers and inviting God to fill them with the Holy Spirit. So when the apostles headed back to Jerusalem to continue proselytizing, I do not believe Philip anticipated anything different than more ministry to the multitudes–whether within the same city or in another.

But then God sent an angel. I love that part. For when God sends an angel, things always get exciting–exciting through the eyes of our Savior, that is.

Did the angel lead Philip to go back to Jerusalem with the apostles?  Nope.  Did the angel lead Philip to another city full of people?  Nope. The angel told Philip to head south. Even more, Philip was to head away from the crowds and to the desert road. Talk about an unexpected and seemingly unexciting trip. Philip–the Philip who God used to draw the masses–was now being told to take the road less traveled long before Robert Frost ever penned the poem about the path that made all the difference.

So what did Philip do?

“…he rose and went” (Romans 8:27).

Philip had been preaching to countless people. The crowds had surrounded him and had clung to the words of life pouring forth from his lips. Even the apostles had heard about and then joined Philip. But when the apostles headed back to Jerusalem by way of the road well traveled, God called Philip to the desert.

God called Philip to the desert.

And he went!

He didn’t doubt.  He didn’t question. He didn’t stall.  Why?  Well, I believe Philip knew that if God called him to the desert then God would meet him in the desert as well.

And He did!

Read with me the following verses:

“… And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”
(Acts 8:27-31)

Do you know what I particularly love about the above passage?  Philip may not have initially understood why God called him to the desert road, but I tend to believe that once he saw that chariot and heard God tell him to go over to that carriage, he knew God was up to something.  Why do I say this?  Look at Philip’s reaction:  So Philip ran to him.  Philip didn’t just sigh to himself and saunter over wondering why in the world God would want him to join some eunuch in a carriage.  Philip didn’t hem and haw about the pros and cons of approaching a stranger in a chariot.  No.  Philip ran.  Philip knew if God called him to this place for this purpose, then he wasn’t going to waste any time.

So Philip ran.  And God moved.

The eunuch was reading a prophecy from Isaiah about Jesus but did not realize it was about Jesus.  When he asked Philip to explain, “Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35).

And the eunuch met Jesus!

Hallelujah!

Because Philip took the desert road, a eunuch met the Lord.

Awesome.

Now Philip could have initially ignored the voice of God by remaining in the city.  He could have gone along the road angry and resentful that God had called him away from the crowds, but he didn’t.  He took the road God called him to take and fulfilled God’s purpose for the call.  For there may not have been many on that desert road Philip was on, but there was one man in particular God wanted Philip to meet: a eunuch who was looking for more. Yes, while heaven was indeed rejoicing over the countless souls saved in Samaria, God also had His sights set on that one soul in the desert whose heart was right. For with God, ministry is not just about the many; it’s also about the one. Taking that desert road may not have instantly changed the lives of countless people, but it did change the life of one.

And it changed that life forever.

So I ask you:  has God ever called you to a desert place?  Has He ever called you out of your comfort zone and into the unknown?  Maybe you were going along, surrounded by familiar faces, reaching out to many, and then God called you away from that–to an apparent desert road.  Maybe He called you to walk alone into a place you always associated with a barren wasteland.  Maybe a situation arose that required you to completely change gears. What did you do?  How did you react?

If you haven’t been there yet, think about how you would react.  Would you question God?  Would you seek to figure out why He was placing you on that particular path?  Would you immediately think God was punishing you for something?  Or would you go?  Would you obey His voice and follow His lead?

No one is perfect, and trust me, I despise change as much as the next person. And yes, going into the unknown can open wide the door of fear if we are not careful.  But I want to encourage you today to remember God’s ways are perfect, even–or I dare say especially–when we don’t understand them. God doesn’t call us to understand; He calls us to go. And He promises that if we obey His voice, we’ll see His hand.

So if God’s calling you to take the path less traveled today, I encourage you to follow Him. Follow Him knowing sometimes God calls us to the unexpected places so He can do extraordinary things.  Although you may not know what lies along the path you are traveling, and although you may not know who you will meet along the way, you can trust God does.

God has a plan. Trust Him in it. Trust that what may seem to you like an unusual and difficult way to travel may actually be the very path to God’s greatest work in your life–and quite possibly in the life of someone else as well.

It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.
Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 AMP

It is the Lord who goes before you. Think about this for a moment. It is the Lord who goes before you. He doesn’t just go behind you and cheer, “You can do this!” (Although this in itself is wonderful.) He doesn’t just hold your hand and walk with you saying, “We’ve got this!” (Although this in itself is incredible.)  But He also takes your hand, leads the way, and says “Follow Me.”

Awesome.

God has always been and always will be all we’ll ever need. All we’ll ever need. He’s our cheerleader, our coach, our friend, and our guide. He is all and is in all. Wherever we go, He’s already been there. He’s already walked the very path we’re traveling. And we’re on that path because God has found it to be the best one for our good and for His glory.

Why are mountainous roads so curvy? Because the engineers wanted us to get car sick? No. They are curvy because those who built the road found that particular path to  be the best way over the mountain. Sometimes a straight shot isn’t the best route. Sometimes we need sharp curves, steep slopes, and even long tunnels to get to the other side.

So today whether you’re climbing a mountain, descending into a valley, strolling through green pastures, or have seemingly lost your way–and whether the road is full of twists and turns or long, straight and narrow–know God has already gone before you.  Know that He has allowed you to take this path for a purpose: for His purpose.

God doesn’t promise us a pain free life.  But He does promise to never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).  So remember this today.  God is on your side.  You will make it through.  For God not only says, “This is the way, walk in it.” He not only says, “I am with you wherever you go.” But He also says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear what may be. Do not fear the winding path before you. Do not fear. For I am not only with you; I am leading you in paths of righteousness for My namesake.”

As a side note, the following is a link to a story I wrote several years ago and posted almost a year ago to the day. It covers this same idea in short story form:  In His Steps

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34 AMP

“…they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison….and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
Acts 5:18‭, ‬40 ESV

I know, I know–kind of an unusual set of verses to highlight, especially if you read the verses in between the above. Within those missing lines an angel frees the apostles, the high priest and council bring the apostles back and desire to kill them, but because of wise counsel they choose to “just” beat them before letting them go. And although the events of the verses not included are amazing and worthy of discussion, God spoke something to me through the other two verses. So I share.

When you think of prison, what do you envision? I think of a place of punishment, a place criminals go who are found guilty of a crime. After all, isn’t that how our justice system works? Someone is arrested, tried, and then depending on the verdict, sentenced to time in prison.

Yet in the time of Jesus and during the years of the emerging church, prison was not the end; it was part of a process. People didn’t land in prison: they passed through it.

Read with me a description I came across while researching prisons in Jesus’ time:

“…for most of human history, imprisonment has not been used as a way of punishing common criminals. Instead, prisons have served principally as holding tanks where offenders could be detained prior to trial or to the carrying out of the sentence of the court, such as execution, exile or enslavement, or until debts or fines had been paid…”(Download the entire article here.)

This means anyone who went to prison knew they’d eventually get out.  Sometimes the stay was short, like the case of the apostles above; sometimes it was longer, especially if politics played a part in the arrest. Paul spent much time in and out of prison during his lifetime. Jesus Himself spent time in prison prior to his crucifixion.

But I repeat, prison in Bible times was not a destination; it was part of the journey. Sometimes the journey led to freedom and acquittal; other times it led to punishment, even death.  Yet no one went to prison with the mindset of never getting out; they went in asking when, not if.  Prison was never intended to be anyone’s end–maybe part of the process–but never the end of it. No one was ever meant to live her entire life in prison. No one.

Not even you.

So I ask you today: Do you still feel like you’re in prison–bound by sin, addiction, or debt? Then I’ve got good news: you don’t have to stay there! Jesus already went to trial. He already paid the price for you, for me, and for the world. He set us–yes, all of us who believe–free from the sins that enslaved us when He died on the cross and rose again three days later.

You are free! God has opened the doors of the prison. He has defeated the guards keeping watch. He has proclaimed your liberty. You are free!

Don’t believe me? Then read with me Jesus’ own words spoken to those in the temple:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18‭-19‬)

You are free! So don’t remain imprisoned. Don’t hold onto the chains that God has loosed.  Be free. Walk out of the darkness and into the light knowing “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

You’ll be glad you did.

“For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1 ESV

My shield is with God,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
and a God who feels indignation every day.
Psalms 7:10‭-‬11

Have you ever been falsely accused? Has someone ever been against you for seemingly no reason? Or have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time, thus giving someone the wrong impression? It hurts when we are falsely accused or judged wrongly. It often takes every ounce of self-control to keep ourselves from lashing out in return, or from emphatically pleading our innocence, doesn’t it?

In the above Psalm, David sings about a situation in which he was falsely accused. In doing so, he provides an incredible example of how to handle those times we face adversity for something we did not do.

First of all, David cries out to God. He takes refuge in his God (“O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge…” – vs 1). He doesn’t run to another friend. He doesn’t run to the one who accused him. He runs to God. Oh the drama that could be avoided if we ran first to God with our troubles instead of to people. Don’t get me wrong, we need people in our lives for support, but we also must be wise in how and why we seek the support. Even the most well meaning friends can make a situation worse if they take on our offense and pass judgment on our accusers. Job learned the hard way that friends do not always have the right answers.

Second, David examines his heart and asks God to do the same. It’s one thing to be falsely accused and another to be caught in a lie. In verses 3-5, David asks God to punish him if he is guilty. David is willing to take the blame if he deserves it. We too must assess our heart and motives when we find ourselves under the scrutiny of accusations. Denial does not mean innocence. We must be willing to face any wrongs we may have done and then accept the consequences for them.

Then, after calling out to God and asking God to search his heart–once David knew his hands were clean–he then asks God to do the judging. David does not take matters into his own hands; he places the situation in God’s hands. Verses 6-16 detail David’s trust in God’s righteousness and God’s protection of the upright in heart. David doesn’t bring the issue to God and then go out and defend himself. He takes cover under the shadow of God’s Almighty wings. Why? Because David knew that right standing with God is more important than right standing with man. Man’s judgment may appear to rule on the earth, but God’s judgment reigns forever. David knew that even if payback didn’t come during his lifetime, it would come in the one to come.

Knowing this–knowing God alone is the One and only righteous judge–enabled David to end his song with praise. He doesn’t praise God for rescuing him. He doesn’t praise God for defending him. He praises God for God’s righteousness and God’s authority.

Wow. If only every one of us would approach misunderstanding and false accusations in the same way. No drama. No whining. No pleading. No worry about what man may think. Instead, we go to God, seek Him, and then trust Him to glorify His name, even in an unlikely and untrue situation.

I’m not sure what you may be facing today, if anything, but I do know God is for you, not against you. When troubles come, when misunderstandings occur, or when false accusations arise, I encourage you to seek God first. Seek Him, allow Him to search you, and then let Him be the judge. He will take up your cause. The ones planning your demise will fall into their own trap. For God promises such. He promises to be with you always, even when the world seems against you–especially when the world seems against you! So wipe away those tears this morning and go forth today with a confidence that comes only from God.  Go forth knowing God “will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalms 55:22).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5

“Trust me!” My final words to a mom as I as a teenager drove off with her precious 8th grader to color her hair. Becca had blonde hair; I was going to make it strawberry blonde…

Or so I thought…

Do you know that some hair types (like mine) need a lot of color and some (like my friend’s) don’t? Well, at the time of the above scenario, I didn’t think about that. So a whole bottle of red later, my friend emerged with Ronald McDonald hair.  Oh yes, bright red hair. The color that should have washed out after 6-8 shampoos was still there months later.

Oops.

Looking back, I’m thinking “Trust me” is not something I should have said, or the mom should have believed. Yet if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve fallen victim to trusting man many times. If we were to count, how many times have we put our trust in the words of man? How many times have we placed our hopes and our dreams in the hands of the people in our lives? How many times have we acted or not acted based on what man has said? We hear “trust me” from man and we mistakenly follow.

But the words of man will always fall short. I repeat: the words of man will always fall short. Even the most well meaning person will fail to measure up.

Because man is mortal.

God, however, is not. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He knows all, controls all, and sees all. Trusting the Lord is way better than trusting in man, for “Every word of God proves true” (Proverbs 30:5). Every word. Not just a few. Not just most of them. All of them. Every. Single. Word.

When God says, “Trust Me,” you can trust Him. Even if you don’t understand the when, where, why, or how of the situation, you can trust God does. He will direct your paths whether or not you understand them–if you trust Him.

So I encourage you today to trust in the Lord with all your heart. All of it. Not just some of it. Not just most of it. All of it. And if you’re having trouble trusting, then ask God to help you trust. He will. He promises to. “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him [Jesus]. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Today, don’t place your hopes and dreams in things, people, or circumstances. For, things break, people fail, and circumstances change. But the Lord never fails. Never. So trust Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6).

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…”
Acts 3:19‭-‬20

When you think of refreshing, what do you envision? If I were to close my eyes and envision a refreshing, I’d picture relaxing in the sun with a good book and an iced green tea by my side. I would have nowhere to be and no one to be responsible for.

Yet as I read the above verses in Acts, I noticed a key phrase following the word “refreshing” that provides a different picture: from the presence of the Lord.

Times of refreshing in God’s kingdom may not match up to our human perceptions. The key to refreshing in God’s kingdom focuses on His presence, not on our circumstances.

Think about it for a moment. If you would have read my blog posts in 2015, you would have hardly called my circumstances as times of refreshing. My life was turned upside down. I embarked on a personal journey to healing which entailed spiritual and emotional open heart surgery. This surgery included an almost move to another state, the loss of a job I had held dear, and being forced to relive an adult version of a middle school trauma. Anyone looking from the outside in would not have viewed 2015 as a year of refreshing for me.

But I do. At least now I do. Yes, that year was horrible. It was heartbreaking and a struggle. But it changed me. It forever altered my relationship with God; it refreshed it. His presence was nearer to me than ever before as I walked that difficult journey. Through the temporary pain of hardship, I gained a closeness with God that will carry me through the rest of my life. I was refreshed through God’s presence despite of and I dare say because of the circumstances. The pain didn’t refresh me, but His presence did.

Times of refreshing don’t come from where we live, where we work, or who we know. Times of refreshing aren’t indicative of a life of ease. Oftentimes they are the result of struggles, of the need to press in to God. Refreshing comes from the Lord. More specifically, refreshing comes from His presence.

So I ask you, are you in times of refreshing today? Is God’s presence restoring your soul? Whether your life feels like a walk along the beach or a journey through a battlefield, God’s presence is more than able to refresh you. If you let Him. If you seek Him.

So seek God today. Spend time in His Word. Spend time in prayer. Spend time in worship. Fellowship with other believers. Allow God to fill you with His strength, His joy, and His presence. And you’ll find that whether you journey through a feast or a famine on this earth, God’s presence will not only be with you, His presence will refresh your soul.

“The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul…” 
Psalms 19:7

Help, Lord , for the godly man ceases!
For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,
Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;
Who is Lord over us?”
“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord ;
“I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O Lord ,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
The wicked prowl on every side,
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Psalm 12 NKJV

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” Have you ever heard this childhood comeback? Ever said it? Someone says something negative, someone mocks you in some way, someone calls you a not nice name–and you retort with the above.

Although I disagree that words cannot hurt, for words can go far deeper than any physical blow ever could, I thought about the above adage while reading Psalm 12. Yet instead of considering it as a comeback to a bully, I considered it as a promise. A promise that the words of man will never prevail against the Word of God.

In the above Psalm, David laments that the faithful have vanished while the boastful declare themselves invincible; the proud believe their words will prevail over all–including God. Yet David knew the error in their ways. David knew no man’s words are more powerful than the Lord’s. No man’s lips are his own.  Nothing and no one could ever harm the Word of God.

Man uses many words–words inconsistent and untamed. Sometimes with our words we build up; yet other times we tear down. At times we speak truth; at times we utter lies. Our words are often as idle and as fickle as we are.  But God.  God’s words are pure, undefiled, and eternal.  When He speaks, things happen.  When He promises, it comes to pass.  When God said He would arise and provide safety, then no amount of human pride and boasting could ever prevent His Word from becoming reality.

In essence, David’s psalm contrasts man’s sinful speech with God’s pure voice. David highlights the difference between the flattering lips of the unrighteous and God’s perfect, pure words of life and truth.  Unrighteous speech is replete with pride and flattery; it dishonors God. And it will not prevail. Yet God’s Word is righteous, perfect, and forever.

I believe  the most compelling line of the psalm occurs in verse 7:

“You shall keep them, O Lord
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.”

Depending on your translation, the “them” is written as you see above or as “us.” I personally love both versions. As “us” David is reminding us that regardless the state of the world, God will keep His children; there will always be a remnant to continue His work.  God will be victorious; no human words or actions could overpower God’s hand. “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but God preserves His children.”

As “them” David reminds us God’s Word will always remain. Amidst destruction and vileness and sin, God’s words are pure and preserved. No amount of impurity could taint what God has spoken. Even this generation could not undue the goodness of God’s words. He who promised is indeed faithful. In other words, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but God’s Word will last forever.”

So remember today that no matter what man may say or think or do, God is and always will be God. Our lips are not our own. Our lives are not our own. Our future is in His hands.  Yes, we have free will on earth, and yes, vileness and sin are rampant in today’s society, but no human boast could ever transcend God and His Word. God will be preserved. His children will be preserved. His Word will be preserved.  Forever.

“All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
Isaiah 40:6‭-‬8 ESV