Psalm 103:11-12: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
When undergoing a trial, often the enemy will come and attack us in ways we are not on guard about or even aware. We know he uses guilt, shame, frustration, and feelings of failure to attack us and tries to wound us and destroy us emotionally and physically in a different way than he has done in the past. He uses military strategies of surprise, and so often in my own life, I think, “Wow, I didn’t see this coming! But here we go again!”
When I recently had a severe vision loss for several days, I realized more than ever how important it is to hide God’s word in my heart, because I couldn’t even read the print with my glasses on – I had to use a large magnifying glass. How convenient that our smartphones can read precious promises of Scripture to us with our Bible ap when one cannot read it yourself.
Assurances to recite and verses to say out loud when undergoing a trial:
- God has forgiven my past. He sees me in what I will become. Psalm 103:11-12. The east and the west never meet. When God forgives sins, He doesn’t hold them against us because that is what forgiven means. God has wiped the record clean like an empty whiteboard. I need to forgive others as God has forgiven me.
- God will show compassion. Ps. 103:12. He is our heavenly father. As a parent, I have an abundance of sympathy, empathy, concern, sensitivity, love, and I want to relieve any suffering my children are experiencing. Every trial will, in the end, demonstrate God’s power and love for us.
- The LORD’s mercies are new every morning as it says in Lamentation 3:22-23: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning: great is your faithfulness.” God is faithful to His promises.
- Lastly, God rescues. 2 Peter 2:9: “Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.” Every trial has an ending at God’s appointed time and not one day sooner than what God’s ultimate purpose is designed to be. It may produce another defining moment in our relationship and walk with the Lord.
When struggling with the enemies arrows of guilt, shame, frustration, and feelings of failure, fight back with David’s prayer to God in Psalm 25:20: “Do not let me be put to shame; rescue me.” Then remember God’s forgiveness and compassion is as big in depth as the east is from the west. We cannot fully comprehend this fact, so just accept it and march on with your spiritual armor on and stay active in the divine power of God in your life. You have no cause for alarm. He is the great I AM!
Do you have a favorite Psalm you read or sing back to the Lord in worshipping and praising Him when a trial has ended? Mine is Psalm 145, a Psalm of praise of David. Listen to Travis Cotrell’s YouTube of Psalm 145, at Brentwood Baptist Church video, on August 7, 2016. Listen to the orchestra and the words sung. May your heart sing along with thanksgiving of God’s abundant goodness and compassion forever and ever!