Isaiah 30:19-21

"O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem,
  you will weep no more.
He will be gracious if you ask for help.
  He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
Though the Lord gave you adversity for food
  and suffering for drink,
he will still be with you to teach you.
  You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
Your own ears will hear him.
  Right behind you a voice will say,
'This is the way you should go,'
  whether to the right or to the left.
Then you will destroy all your silver idols
  and your precious gold images.
You will throw them out like filthy rags,
  saying to them, 'Good riddance!'"

 

If you are going through a hard time, let these verses comfort and instruct you. There are two issues implicit here. First is the question of how you respond to suffering. Do you trust that God is with you and will respond to you? Or is there a lie lurking in your heart, a belief that perhaps he doesn't care? Let the truth of these verses replace that lie. Or have you perhaps turned to something other than God for help? That is the idolatry mentioned in the last verse. Trust God, God alone, and see what help he brings!

 

Psalm 111:2

"How amazing are the deeds of the LORD!
  All who delight in him should ponder them."

 

Do you delight in God? Do you want to delight in God? Here's the way to do it: Ponder what the Lord has done. Meditate on what Scripture says God has done. Look for what he's doing in the church and in the world. Focus on what he's doing in your own life. Ponder, and renew your wonder at God's power and grace, and delight in God himself.

 

Psalm 66:1–7

"Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!
Sing about the glory of his name!
  Tell the world how glorious he is.
Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds!
  Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.
Everything on earth will worship you;
  they will sing your praises,
  shouting your name in glorious songs.' Interlude

'Come and see what our God has done,
  what awesome miracles he performs for people!
He made a dry path through the Red Sea,
  and his people went across on foot.
  There we rejoiced in him.
For by his great power he rules forever.
  He watches every movement of the nations;
  let no rebel rise in defiance.'"

 

 

A big part of worship is singing praise to God, reflecting on what he's done in the lives of his people and in our own particular lives, and focusing on who he is. What marvelous deeds has he done for you? What do these deeds reveal about his character? Praise him today for his awesome deeds, and lean on his character for all your needs