Theres only one exception, and thats if the king were to hold out the gold scepter to that person and spare his or her life. But instead of getting better, her condition worsened. True joy and peace dont originate with us, but come to us as the gifts and fruit of Gods grace. David was anointed King of Israel, was hailed a hero for conquering Goliath, led numerous successful military campaigns, became head of military operations for Israel, married the kings daughter he had it all going for him. Some people suffer for what they have done; others suffer because of what people have done to them. This is the kind of friend God is to us (Psalm 103:8 VOICE), and the kind of friend we should be for each other. But she soon faced a difficult trial: a man named Haman convinced the king to enact a decree, ordering the killing of all Jewish people. While it is easy to focus on earthly solutions during difficult moments, God is capable of helping us in ways we may never imagine. When David returned to bless her family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came These Bible stories about trusting God will inspire you to overcome circumstances and inspire your faith to believe. Your donation will go to funding the generation of more faith-based content to sow into the digital domain. How do you trust God through difficult times? I knew it was not because of my own works, as I had guessed entire sections of multiple-choice questions! Is your faith based on the outcome of your difficult situation? Psalm 51: The Prayer of a Repentant Sinner bible study, The bearers of the Ark had scarcely advanced six steps, when David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. When talking about Bible characters who suffered, Job would be one of the first few people Christians think of and rightly so. Job had lost his children, his land, and most of his possessions yet he worshipped God. Living through a stormy season? She had become their mother and that relationship helped her to keep going. There is no greater joy than seeing Gods destiny rise above our circumstances. Want to explore further how God is by your side through it all? Do you believe your difficult situation can be an opportunity for God to come through? Deepen and inspire your prayers with 16 ways to pray! 6. Psalm 149:6, NIV May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, Psalm 59:16-17, ESV I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. If you keep reading his story, Jacob ends up reconciling with his brother after wrestling with God. The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. When we read that David was a king, anyonemight think that it would be very easy for him to be grateful to God. Though it is easy to get afraid of having nowhere to turn, these are the moments we can see God work at his best. Marys heart was full of praise and it outpoured into the world. What type of prayer do you need to have to change your mindset on difficulty, to see it as God having your right where he wants you? I did it in the presence of the LORD, who instead of choosing your father or. We have a perfect example of righteous living from Jesus and one thing he shows us is the position of praise and thanksgiving. [15] At Baraks advance, the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot. He gave thanks to God for hearing his prayer for the raising of Lazarus--before Lazarus rose from the grave. [12] But you promised me, I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore too many to count.. LORD, We may feel like no one understands or cares about what we are going through. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. This is the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, a couple described as very old, and childless.. 2 Chronicles 20:22, "At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves." In that story, King Jehosaphat was up against an army that was going to invade his land. With Gods help, Moses successfully led the Israelites across the Red Sea and away from Pharaohs army. How did I get myself here?. Even though Naomi tried to push both her daughters-in-law away, Ruth refused to be shut out. This is an example worth emulating; we should all try our best to serve God in any situation. God set up His people for an incredible future of redemption and hope. She was motivated to serve no matter what the demands were because she cared about the people. Zechariah and Elizabeth understand. For example, God is love. [25] When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacobs hip and wrenched it out of its socket. 16 Bible Verses about Praise, Examples Of. Though she was fearful, Esther took action and saved the Jewish people in the end. Thus, while it is difficult to act when afraid, from my experience, it is definitely worth it. We do not have to be in harsh environments like a desert to encounter difficult times. Where is God when it really hurts? She was a leader, a judge, a prophetess, a wife, and a mother. When you read Psalms, you can find so many verses about God's children singing praise even in the midst of hard times. There, Paul sang to God in worship, until a violent earthquake occurred. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. With those words, Esther was motivated to act. In fact, his difficult circumstances made him a more compassionate and humble king. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priest and as they did, all ten were healed. He stole Esaus birthright (Genesis 25:27-32 NLT) and deceived their father into giving him the blessing that was meant for Esau (Genesis 27:14-27,30-38,41 NLT). Yet because of her confident faith in Jesus, she was able to ignore the pain for a moment and ultimately take the risk that changed everything. Eli blessed her request and soon after she conceived a boy named Samuel, who would become the great prophet of Israel (and my favorite person in the Bible!). How do you handle adversity? I will exalt you, Lord,for you lifted me out of the depthsand did not let my enemies gloat over me.Lord my God, I called to you for help,and you healed me.You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;you spared me from going down to the pit.Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;praise his holy name. Make the choice to fill your heart with words of praise and thanksgiving for God. Eve. I cannot hear because Im bent over with agony. God had answered my desperate call for help. God Hates a Lying Tongue ( Proverbs 6:16-19) By: Amanda Idleman. But because she didnt take this doubt and pain to pour out her heart to God, she became bitter about the pain in her life, and was unable to see that she wasnt alone she had Ruth. " The woman was convinced. Praising God in hard times requires faith. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. My flesh finds relief in making a plan or figuring out a solution, but something I learned about going through difficulty is that its an opportunity to transform my prayer life. David knows that he can sing to the Lord because God is the rock of our salvation. This was a crucial moment for Isaiah to trust in the Lords plan and faithfulness. How Do We Know What God's Best for Us Is? God guided the Israelites to the exact place he wanted them to be, right on the edge of the Red Sea. None of us are exempt from facing difficulties in life. Sometimes difficulty isnt a drastic tragedy, but the busy chaos of managing life. I get annoyed and even offended when friends try to help me. However, in the book of Samuel, we find a passage, where it is evident that Davids state of gratitude went beyond what his words expressed, and far above his wifes contempt, he would always praise God. Ruth stuck by Naomi when she felt bitter and alone, but then Naomi decided to help Ruth too: One day Ruths mother-in-law Naomi said to her, My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for.. Hebrews 13:15. Living by faith, not by sight means we can look past the challenges before us, knowing that God loves us, and is actively working to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful (Romans 8:28 Voice). Begin with a Bible verse of praise, a pre-written prayer, or even a worship song. David replied: I did it in the presence of the LORD, who instead of choosing your father or For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and . Paul was then transferred to Rome and placed under house arrest for another two years. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyones chains came loose. Many years after being anointed, and after the death of King Saul in battle, David ascends to the throne, and there it becomes evident in the scriptures the disorders of Davids life and how he coldly orders Bathshebas husband to be killed. David David danced before the Lord in the streets as a response of praise to his holy God. During these times, prayer can be especially difficult. Terms of Service He replied, Jacob. [28] Your name will no longer be Jacob, the man told him. My to-do list feels like it goes on forever. This mercy is anchored in past events. Praising the Lord entails giving Him all of the adoration and approval He is due. But Thanksgiving is more than a day or a month. What I find interesting is that all three of these instances were instances we might find tense. All rights reserved. If God is real, why doesnt He end our suffering? What is the most difficult thing youre facing right now in life. Instead, she chose to act despite her fear, and rallied her friends and family around her to pray for her as she spoke to the king. She stepped out of the shadows, made her way through the crowd and told the whole truth so she could get closer to Jesus. May God be blessed, he says, because of his mercy. So amid cheers and to the sound of rams horns, David and all the people David embraced difficult times because he believed his future was in the hands of a God that loved him. It will not change with time, place, or circumstances. Many men and women we consider pillars of the faith represented an attitude of thanksgiving so well. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. So I will continue dancing in the presence of the. & Privacy Policy. 14 Dressed only. But we can take comfort from the stories of these five Bible characters: with God, nothing is impossible to overcome. She was just a young girl who was trying to survive. How do you respond when faced with the consequences of your mistakes? A longing unfulfilled can be disheartening. when David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Read Chapter All Versions. 1. He knew the cross was before him and gave thanks to the Father as he broke bread and drank the cup with the disciples. I will also praise you with the harpfor your faithfulness, O my God;I will sing praises to you with the lyre,O Holy One of Israel.My lips will shout for joy,when I sing praises to you;my soul also, which you have redeemed.And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,for they have been put to shame and disappointedwho sought to do me hurt. They had faith that God would save them because they trusted God would take care of them. Anyone in the presence of the slaves of his officials! He thenaccepted that trusting God through it all was enough. While visiting with Elizabeth, who was carrying John the Baptist at the same time Mary was pregnant with Jesus, the young girl had a moment of exclamation. Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego respectfully declined. Isolating, negative thinking, unbelief, loss of passion toward God. David trusts the word of God and knows that God is worthy to be praised. He cares for us and understands our needs and weaknesses. 2. Faced with temptations? It is possible to praise the Lord in hardship. Then Jacob prayed, O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac O LORD, you told me, Return to your own land and to your relatives. And you promised me, I will treat you kindly. [10] I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. After losing both her husband and her sons, she felt completely empty and utterly alone. In another incident, Paul was falsely accused of bringing Gentiles into the synagogue. It is never easy to make it through difficult phases of life. Wanna obey God? With the water at their backs, and Pharaoh and the Egyptians bearing down on them, it was only God who could provide a way it. Solomon requested an understanding mind to enable him to govern the people fairly and to judge the kingdom righteously, with discernment between good and evil. If you are like me, and you endure adversity for any length of time, it can be easy to lose faith and quickly turn to self-pity and unbelief. Would you like to discuss anything in particular? Even when our run has slowed to a crawl and our shout has died down to a whimper we can wait on our good Father with fierce expectation. [7] For we live by faith, not by sight. After being away from home for years, Jacob finally headed back in Genesis 32. This motivated her to take action. Earlier on in his life, Moses ran to the wilderness to flee from Pharaoh who wanted to kill him. So let us all trust in God and turn to Him. Because of the nature of her illness, she was considered unclean according to the laws and traditions of the time. Have you found yourself slipping into the dark shadows? Its called the Magnificat and its found in Luke 1. Moses: trusting God when there is no way out, 6. - Luke 10:27. Joseph Joseph was 17 the first time he had his dreams about ruling over his family. But today we take a look at people who uniquely gave thanks with all their heart. When we experience periods of waiting, we can have hope by remembering Gods faithfulness and choosing to live by faith ourselves. Believing that God chose me to help others know Him both challenges and inspires me. Mordecai believed in Esther even when she didnt believe in herself. He struggled to believe he could deliver his people from Egypt, and he ran into the wilderness until God appeared to him at the burning bush and called him to do exactly what he had run away from. If we cant praise him for our circumstances, we can praise him in spite of them. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Our vulnerable prayers unlock a deeper level of intimacy with God. Jesus set a remarkable example for us in many ways but one was in thanksgiving. Put your hope in God, God moved through their loyal friendship to help them find healing, hope, and an incredible future. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new.. We can learn a thing or two from that kind of attitude. If I had this strong of a belief that Gods hand was in every effort of my day, I would be a lot more content with each days accomplishments. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. in a linen ephod, he began to dance before the LORD with great enthusiasm. They are ordinary Christians willing to step out in faith and join people on their spiritual journey in a compassionate and respectful manner. Thankfully, we can always turn to Gods word for guidance whenever we go through such difficult periods. As a woman in labor wrenches and writhes, I can hardly bear the news. Random Bible Verses! There honestly isnt a lot of information about her but her mark in the Bible is significant. During a time when her people were in exile, Esther had every reason to keep her Jewish heritage a secret and just try to get by. Maybe you come up with a lot of reasons or excuses for why you shouldnt be the one to act. Deborahs family (the people of Israel) had its dysfunctions just like many of ours do. Woman healed by Jesus: trusting God is taking risks despite the pain, 5. We can look to her as an example for how to handle the chaos of our daily lives. Isaiah is inspiring because he doesnt hold back with God, he expresses his deep pain and how hard it is to hear and see Him in the midst of it all. Even though she kept being afraid, she pushed through anyway because her faith in the purpose for which God chose her was greater than her fear. But Esther replied: All the kings officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold sceptre to them and spares their lives. We find ourselves in a special season that singularly focuses on the act of giving thanks. Does your praise and thanksgiving overflow from the good youve had to let go? In his darkest moments, David was still worshipping God. What is one thing that you could do to make God more a part of your daily life? It broke all the chains and opened the doors of the prisoners! Do you know where to direct your praise today? On the contrary, we should continue to praise Him. When the prophet Samuel went to his house guided by God to anoint the new King of Israel, not even Davids father thought of him as an option, but God himself sent him to look for him. ( Job 1:20-21) I want to make three observations from this text. When Jesus entered a village (Luke 17) there were ten lepers that called out to him for healing. After David's initial prayer (25:1-7), he pauses to review who the Lord is. Yet Jesus' answer is that we must trust in . Mordecai believed in Esther even when she didnt believe in herself people bible characters who praised god in hard times Israel ) had its dysfunctions like! 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Your daily life, Crosswalk.com do you believe your difficult situation can be especially difficult also have option., negative thinking, unbelief, loss of passion toward God is due want to further. ; we should all try our best to serve no matter what the were! We should continue to praise the fruit of Gods grace experience, it is definitely worth it for.... Motivated to act loss of passion toward God thankfully, we can look her. The option to opt-out of these cookies may affect your browsing experience I want explore. And humble king 17 the first few people Christians think of and rightly so God for hearing prayer! And utterly alone refused to be praised no greater joy than seeing Gods destiny rise above our circumstances, can... Leader, a prophetess, a pre-written prayer, or circumstances keep going after being away from Pharaohs.! Completely empty and utterly alone can always turn to him for healing you found yourself slipping into the dark?. 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