Hi Everyone!

Verse of the Day

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

Quote of the day

“Oh! it is a great blessing to be put through the fire, if you come out purified. It is a sweet mercy to have to go through the floods, if some filthiness may thereby be removed. The children of Israel went down to Egypt to sojourn there, but after hard servitude and cruel oppression they came up out of it with silver and gold, much enriched by their bondage.”

– Charles Spurgeon

Reflection

If it weren’t for God’s mercy, we would not survive the hardships we face in life. According to v.22 of today’s verse, we may rest assured that God’s compassion is unfailing. Take a few moments to think back to the last major trial you faced in your life. Perhaps it involved a health scare, traumatic accident, or the loss of a loved one. It may have been scary, painful, or difficult to endure, but God showed up, didn’t He? Often, these circumstances make little sense in the moment, but when we look back, God may bless us with the insight to realize why they happened.

Take heart that even the most seasoned believers may face doubts amid storms like those mentioned above. However, even when we dwell in those doubts, we are wise to remember God’s perfect track record in our lives and remain steadfast (1 Corinthians 15:58). The best course of action is always to swiftly turn to our Savior, Jesus Christ, to navigate us through everything. Draw near to Him in times of tribulation as well as times of abundance (James 4:8). He was, is, and always will remain with us to help us navigate life’s unpredictability (Psalm 32:8). The world and our circumstances in it may bring unexpected challenges. Still, God remains the same (Hebrews 13:8). He is our anchor of hope, in whom we can take refuge and draw strength (Hebrews 6:19, Psalm 46:1-11).

It’s verses like v.22 that provide the spiritual fuel to motivate us to persevere alongside our Savior. Otherwise, we would be consumed if we tried to achieve success on our own. We must humble ourselves and cling to the Lord’s mercy. In His compassion, He is so patient with us (James 5:11).

In v.23, we discover that those mercies and compassions are new every morning. God’s patience and mercy with us should lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4). We all miss the mark and struggle with sin (Romans 3:23). As believers we must remain vigilant and avoid complacency in our walk with the Lord (1 Peter 5:8), because we don’t want to fall back into old patterns of habitual sin and minimize circumstances that may lead us to compromise (Galatians 5:1). We must thank God that His mercies and compassion remain with us because we still fight sin and desperately need Him to provide us with that continuous supply of mercy and compassion daily (Psalm 145:8).

Application

If we are honest with ourselves, we recognize that we still sin and must continue to confess our sins, ask God to forgive us, and seek Him to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (Luke 17:3-4, 1 John 1:9). According to v.23, God remains faithful to extend His grace and mercy to us every morning. It’s comforting to know that it is available to us as believers.

After all, if God was patient with us before we came to saving faith, why would He turn us away now (2 Peter 3:9)? If God was with us through the fiery trial we faced, why would we worry that He will abandon us now (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Daniel 3:28)? Look back at God’s perfect track record in your life. When you looked for trouble yourself, wasn’t He there to welcome you back with open arms (Luke 15:11-32)?

Of course, none of us wants any more trials than we already have to contend with. Life is hard enough as it is. We must aim to rejoice, trust God, and persevere through trials, but they’re not something I think anyone seeks to grow in frequency (James 1:2-8). However, even if we do face immense trials throughout our lives, that temporary pain is not worthy of comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

If you find yourself in the furnace of affliction and prolonged suffering, God may be providing you with blessings you aren’t even aware are possible (1 Peter 1:6-9). What if He is preparing you for the next assignment in His plan? What if He is using your circumstances to exemplify to your peers how a faithful believer handles trouble (Job 23:10)? Maybe He is protecting you from making a poor decision. Perhaps He is providing you with a new trajectory in your life. What if the trial chisels your character for the better, similar to the way gold is purified in the furnace (Isaiah 48:10)?

No matter how you look at it, you must hold fast to God and remember that His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He has full authority to humble those who are exalted and exalt those who He has humbled (Matthew 23:12). God has provided us with everything we need for this season (Philippians 4:19). So whether He entrusts us with more, or even takes away, we must not lose our hope (Matthew 25:14-30). We may lose material possessions, opportunities, careers, abilities, or even loved ones in this life (Luke 14:28-33). But you know what we’ll never lose? God’s love and our relationship with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:31-39). That’s why it’s such a strong position when our foundation centers on our identity in Jesus Christ above all else (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In the end, if you take away nothing else, you can find true and lasting strength in the joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10). Then you will know that even in trial, you can retain your composure as you rest your hope in the Almighty God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It will speak volumes to those around you about your unshakable faith in the One who will never let you down. We can overcome all the struggles this life has to offer through Jesus Christ (Psalm 118)! Even if we lose everything else we hold dear, if we have Jesus Christ, we have it all (John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5-6). But if we have everything else, other than the Lord, we have not one ounce of eternal value (Mark 8:36-37).

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You, Father, for another day of life. Please help me to remember that You are there for me at all times. Thank You for informing me, through Your word, that I can come boldly to Your throne of grace. Thank You for giving me the gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Dear Father, without You, Your Son, and Your Holy Spirit, there is no hope. Thank You for remaining with me even when I struggle with sin and fall short of Your glory. Thank You for delivering me from my sin, helping me to repent, and cleansing me of all unrighteousness. Please help me to remain steadfast, in lockstep with Your will for me.

Please align me with Your will for me. I want my thoughts and desires to lead me in the direction You desire for me to traverse. Please help me find joy in all circumstances and continually seek You, no matter if I find myself in times of ease, trial, or even peril.

Your Son, Jesus Christ, faced tumultuous circumstances throughout His life. Yet You sent Him to live a perfect life and die on the cross for my sins. As such, please help me abstain from evil so that I don’t grieve the Holy Spirit, disobey Your commands, or take for granted Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, where He washed away my sins once and for all.

Thank You for Your compassion and mercy. Thank You for reminding me that You are faithful even when I stumble. You knew I would need a fresh dose of Your mercy and compassion every morning. I don’t even want to imagine what my life would look like outside of Your supernatural provision. Thank You for never letting me down, leaving me, or giving up on me. Please continue to help me grow into the God-fearing man You desire me to become.

I pray in Jesus Christ’s precious, holy, and mighty name.

Amen.