Faithfulness Doesn’t Guarantee Easy Living

[Christ4Ever]

You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. Psalm 69:19-21 ESV

Psalm 69 documents a heartbreaking list of mentally and physically oppressive forms of adversity. While it may be tempting to suggest that the writer of this psalm believed God had forgotten him, God had not forgotten this afflicted person or the specific details of his suffering. How could God’s knowledge of our suffering help us if God isn’t doing anything about it?

The psalmists aren’t shy about documenting the suffering of God’s faithful people, which means there’s no simple connection between circumstances and blessing. Sometimes the righteous enjoy prosperity, and sometimes the wicked thrive while God’s people wilt. Yet God always remains with the faithful, and He will most assuredly make things right one day.

The problem for us is in the waiting for God to make things right, which may happen tomorrow or far away in the future. There’s no definite timeline for God to act. However, He has promised to be with us in the midst of our suffering that we will one day enjoy the restoration, peace, and justice our hearts desire.

Prayer: Lord, help me to wait patiently for Your justice and restoration.

 

[PloughBoy]

You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. Psalm 69:19-21 ESV

Psalm 69 documents a heartbreaking list of mentally and physically oppressive forms of adversity. While it may be tempting to suggest that the writer of this psalm believed God had forgotten him, God had not forgotten this afflicted person or the specific details of his suffering. How could God’s knowledge of our suffering help us if God isn’t doing anything about it?

The psalmists aren’t shy about documenting the suffering of God’s faithful people, which means there’s no simple connection between circumstances and blessing. Sometimes the righteous enjoy prosperity, and sometimes the wicked thrive while God’s people wilt. Yet God always remains with the faithful, and He will most assuredly make things right one day.

The problem for us is in the waiting for God to make things right, which may happen tomorrow or far away in the future. There’s no definite timeline for God to act. However, He has promised to be with us in the midst of our suffering that we will one day enjoy the restoration, peace, and justice our hearts desire.

Prayer: Lord, help me to wait patiently for Your justice and restoration.

Those little portions in psalm is Jesus praying on the cross through David Just look at the cross, many of the psalms are portions of the soul of Christ crying out to the father and speaking about how he feels and what he is going through as he is hanging there. Now how he does that through others before he gets to the cross, I do not know.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Dear Brother,
Here is a song I just posted, and one I thought of you!
From my heart to yours dear brother.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

 

[PloughBoy]

Dear Brother,
Here is a song I just posted, and one I thought of you!
From my heart to yours dear brother.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

LORD, have mercy, the tears I could not hold back.

Thank you, I needed that, my soul needed it.

 

[Drey Day]

Affliction is a very broad topic. How was the person afflicted? Was it their own fault? A person should answer these questions first.

Tolerating one’s own suffering doesn’t make them holier. Can the person escape the suffering?
If they’re fat and unhealthy, they need to fast, pray, and exercise during eating windows.

Are they broke? Take money management courses.

Most of these “afflictions” Christians talk about can be remedied by taking initiative, picking yourself off your bootstraps, and most importantly, fasting and praying to seek after revelations from God to see how to approach remedying these afflictions wisely.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Affliction is a very broad topic. How was the person afflicted? Was it their own fault? A person should answer these questions first.

Tolerating one’s own suffering doesn’t make them holier. Can the person escape the suffering?
If they’re fat and unhealthy, they need to fast, pray, and exercise during eating windows.

Are they broke? Take money management courses.

Most of these “afflictions” Christians talk about can be remedied by taking initiative, picking yourself off your bootstraps, and most importantly, fasting and praying to seek after revelations from God to see how to approach remedying these afflictions wisely.

Dear Drey Day,
Not a Christian or believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior?

The Devotional you have read is not meant to be a cure all for anyone. Count it as more of poke an awareness of what we all go through and is spoken of in God's Word.

What did you take from reading it, and Psalm 69?

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
Nick
\o/
<><

 

[PloughBoy]

Dear Brother,
Here is a song I just posted, and one I thought of you!
From my heart to yours dear brother.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

When I got up this morning my spiritual soul was so weak. And I wonder what was wrong. and I back track, all what I had done yesterday. Because it was hard for me to pray and walk, I was weak, and I thought how can I even pray and my devotional prayers as well and check the worlds news, like I have done some many years and confess my sins. I said to my self. I got to do it the same way like I have for many years. it come to me, that I had empty out my soul yesterday I told it all. I empty out my soul. So I prayed in same matter I have for years guide me, guide my thoughts, what I see and what I heard and I listen to a song and I said to myself I got to stand up, and put my Boots on and Saddle Up!! And do it again. and read my mail, I saw your mail. And when I hit the key the moment he open his mouth, The "DEEP Holy OIL of GOD, poured in MY SOUL, it was Thick and RICH and I could not Hold back my, tears. PEOPLE do not know how much we need one another. in so many ways, it cannot be told, of The channels of the OIL that comes from GOD . We need The Oil that only can come from GOD! Channel me LORD to Bring The OIL, to Your People, LORD

Thanks again, for yes indeed you are My brother and I love you

 

[Drey Day]

Dear Drey Day,
Not a Christian or believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior?

The Devotional you have read is not meant to be a cure all for anyone. Count it as more of poke an awareness of what we all go through and is spoken of in God's Word.

What did you take from reading it, and Psalm 69?

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
Nick
\o/
<><

So why are you asking me if I’m a Christian or not? It seems like you’re implying that I’m not.

I just read Psalm 69. David endured hardship, and in this case it was self imposed. His adultery created a cascade of events that had various manifestations, such as depression. I can relate.

However this Psalm is a snapshot in time. We are not meant to feel like this all through life. Prayer, fasting, and seeking God’s wisdom can help us dig ourselves out of it.

 

[Christ4Ever]

So why are you asking me if I’m a Christian or not? It seems like you’re implying that I’m not.

I just read Psalm 69. David endured hardship, and in this case it was self imposed. His adultery created a cascade of events that had various manifestations, such as depression. I can relate.

However this Psalm is a snapshot in time. We are not meant to feel like this all through life. Prayer, fasting, and seeking God’s wisdom can help us dig ourselves out of it.

Dear Brother,
Just checking. A bit sensitive on me asking?

Well, that's sin brother. Decision making in an imperfect world/person makes for hard times. Then again, sometimes it doesn't, and many who do often wonder why it happens to them, and not to those others....you know the unrepentant sinner.

The devotional is taking a snapshot as you've noticed, so that it is really for those who are tired of waiting, or figure that they're the only ones with difficulties at the moment. When you're going through the storm it usually matters little that it's a self-imposed hardship. That person just wants relief especially if they've been faithful. Then when God sees them through it on this side of Glory, hopefully, they do an after actions report to see if they were the cause by omission or commission, and that it doesn't happen again. Then again neither one might very well be the cause! For Scripture shows that things happen that are not necessarily sinned based or that appear the fault of the faithful. God's will you know to His purpose! Job is probably a great example of this.

So, though you are right in how you have viewed this, that view doesn't cover all the instances/cases that people go through. So, a quick devotional that let's them know that though they don't see it all the time, God is still working!!! For a more complete study, we have the entirety of the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit!

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><
P.S. Sorry for questioning your belief in Jesus Christ. \o/

 

[Drey Day]

Dear Brother,
Just checking. A bit sensitive on me asking?

Well, that's sin brother. Decision making in an imperfect world/person makes for hard times. Then again, sometimes it doesn't, and many who do often wonder why it happens to them, and not to those others....you know the unrepentant sinner.

The devotional is taking a snapshot as you've noticed, so that it is really for those who are tired of waiting, or figure that they're the only ones with difficulties at the moment. When you're going through the storm it usually matters little that it's a self-imposed hardship. That person just wants relief especially if they've been faithful. Then when God sees them through it on this side of Glory, hopefully, they do an after actions report to see if they were the cause by omission or commission, and that it doesn't happen again. Then again neither one might very well be the cause! For Scripture shows that things happen that are not necessarily sinned based or that appear the fault of the faithful. God's will you know to His purpose! Job is probably a great example of this.

So, though you are right in how you have viewed this, that view doesn't cover all the instances/cases that people go through. So, a quick devotional that let's them know that though they don't see it all the time, God is still working!!! For a more complete study, we have the entirety of the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit!

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><
P.S. Sorry for questioning your belief in Jesus Christ. \o/

Thank you for your sincere reply. It helped clarify it for me.