July 16, 2021: Navigating the Storms of Life Can Be Difficult at Times, Without the Proper Compass.

In reading today's Our Daily Bread, I was reminded how easy it is to lose focus of what is important in our lives as we try to navigate the storms of life that come our way. As Christians, we know and believe we have Jesus, our Lord, in our hearts, but sometimes the storms become so difficult we lose that focus.

In Psalm 43, the writer of this Psalm, is pleading with God to come to his rescue from an ungodly nation and unjust men. He feels that God has cast him aside and has forgotten him.

Psalm 43: 1-2 (NKJV)

Vindicate me, O God, And plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! 2 For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

In verse 3, the psalmist once again asks God to intervene. It suggests that when the request is fulfilled, the psalmist will be able to go and offer his praise (v. 4). To end his prayer, the writer reminds himself that he will continue to hope and trust in God (v. 5).

Verses: 3-5 (NKJV)

3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!

Let them lead me;

Let them bring me to Your holy hill

And to Your tabernacle.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God my exceeding joy;

And on the harp I will praise You,

O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God;

For I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.

Doesn't this prayer of the psalmist sound a little like us at times when we lose our focus? Our focus is lost because we have taken our eyes off God and taken back control of our own life's circumstances. We must come back to our "surrender" to God and allow Him to show us our way. Allow Him to be our "compass" once again.

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

As we navigate the storms of life, let us not forget who is the Captain of our hearts. Let us trust the promises of God's word and let His Word guide our steps as we move forward every day, "completely and absolutely surrendered" to Him.