Tuesday, March 25th

 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.  I cried unto thee, O Lord : I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.  Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.  Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. … Psalm 142:1-7

That we will have discouragement in this life is very plain.  The question is not IF we will face heartbreak; it is WHEN we will face heartbreak.  Many of you have already faced untold grief, fear, and emotional shipwreck.  That's part of being human.  It is certainly not an indication of your spirituality either.  Even the most godly, the most spirit-led people are faced with the reality of being disappointed, disillusioned, and dismayed.  King David is not the only Scriptural example, but he is one of the most widely recognized.  

The book of Psalms is full of real-life, walking-with-the-Lord testimonies of King David's relationship with God.  The praising Psalms (as I call them) are not surprising; God was great in the life of King David, so he had much to praise God for.  These remind me of King David's spiritual nature.  Though I've read the Bible many times, I still marvel (every time I read the book of Psalms, in fact!) that King David didn't try to disguise those bad days when he despaired of life itself---and there were plenty of those days.  That reveals King David's human nature.  What encourages me is that although there were plenty of times when David doubted God's presence, God never removed Himself from David.  Though David couldn't see Him, God remained faithful.   David couldn't see God with his human eyes, but no doubt, he knew the comfort of His presence.   

You and I may not see God with our eyes, but there can be no doubt He carries us.  Don't be dismayed, dear girls.  Whatever you're facing, our God is bigger still.  

Scripture Reading for the Day:
Proverbs 25
Matthew 10