God Sees Ahead

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them–the Lord, who remains faithful forever. (Psalm 146:5-6)

Lately, I have come across a few people who are hurting in many ways.  There are a lot of tough things going on in people’s lives.  One common theme is a desire to see God

come through.  A desire to be victorious!  I think it’s so important to stop for a moment and look at God’s record of faithfulness.  I want to explore how faithful He has been and how faithful He will be.  God has a record of being faithful at least a Gazillion times.  More times than we will ever be able to count.  It’s hard to see His faithfulness at work in our lives at times because we see things from our perspective.  We see things unfinished, full of pain, agony, often bewildered by circumstances, and just frustrated by the lack of control we have.  We need to take our eyes off of the circumstances and put our eyes on the One who is in control!  The One who never steps off the throne, never says He’s too busy, never calls it quits, never says He’s having a bad day, so He can’t help us.  He is always there!  We just have to stop and become available.  Stop and listen!  Stop and allow Him to work!  Stop and get a new perspective on the current situation!  Let’s look at God’s record of faithfulness and compare it to our lives.  Let’s see how He has been faithful!

“I will proclaim the name of the Lord.  Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4)

Moses wrote the words of this song.  Moses experienced God’s faithfulness throughout his life, even through some of his darkest days.  He didn’t have an easy life.  Life was hard at times.  He started his life in a basket, floating down a river.  Sure he was adopted by the Pharoah.  That was God’s faithfulness that rescued him from death.  One day he left the family he came to know in Pharoah’s court, another tough decision.  He would watch God provide a place for him to stay during his time in Midian.  Then he would go back to rescue his people.  He would watch God’s faithfulness bring the Israelites out after years of oppression.  They would face many obstacles together and wonder a desert for 40 years.  Moses would not even get to enter the Promise Land.  He would see it from a distance, but he would not lead the people there.  Yet, he did not dwell on the obstacles or all that he did not have.  He rejoiced in the faithfulness of God.  He knew that God had a plan.  God could see things from a better perspective.  Are you willing to trade in your earthly perspective, so God can give you an eternal perspective?  Things look a lot better from where He is sitting.

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” (2 Samuel 22:26-27)

These words are from a song of praise that David wrote.  He wrote this after God delivered him from the hand of his enemies and from the hand of Saul.  David rejoiced in God’s faithfulness.  I urge you to one day read the story of David all the way through.  It’s a remarkable story.  David was being hunted down by Saul.  Sure during our battles it is always tough to see how God will be faithful, but that is why it is so important to look at His track record.  David looked back and rejoiced in God’s faithfulness.  He saw how God rescued him.  How has God rescued you?  Find time to rejoice in God’s record of faithfulness in your life.  The more you concentrate on how faithful God has been, the more you will trust Him to be faithful with your current situation.  He’s got this!  He really does!  He won’t fail you!  He won’t let you down!

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And GOD IS FAITHFUL; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

There it is plain and simple.  God is faithful!  He will not let you be burdened by more than you can handle!  He sees you in your pain and He understands it.  Lean on Him and find strength in Him.  He will wipe away every tear and He will give you the strength you need to get through this.  He will help you stand through this tough season of life!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

This is the one thing that we always need to remember.  No matter how bad things get or how grim the situation may look.  God is going to make good out of it.  It’s His promise to you and to me.  He is going to work good into every situation that you are going through.  I don’t know how, but He does it every time.  It’s amazing when I look back through my life at the hard things I have gone through and honestly I wouldn’t change any of it.  I’m stronger, I have more compassion, I love more honestly, I’m humbled, I understand grace better, I understand my purpose more, some of my rough edges have been sanded down, I have more empathy for people, and yet, I find that I still have a long ways to go.  So I’m sure there are many rough roads ahead!  I just know that every trial I have ever been through has created another part of my character, a part of me that didn’t exist before that trial began.  Take time to see how God has molded your character through your trials.  What’s changed?  Have you learned how to lean on God more?  Are your rough edges slowly being sanded away?  Let’s not let another trial slip by without learning the lesson God has for us!

Dear Father God, Thank You so much for being faithful time and time again!  That is one thing in life that I never have to doubt.  I know that You will be faithful to me forever.  You will never leave me, You will never fail me, and You will never stop loving me!  Please help me to turn my eyes on You and away from any circumstances that may be surrounding my life.  Help me to see things from Your perspective!  Yours is really the only perspective that matters!

Trusting in Your unfailing love,