“You are just, O LORD, and your judgments are fair.” —Psalm 119:137
“The LORD is just in all his actions, and exhibits love in all he does.” —Psalm 145:17
“Who will not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, because you alone are holy? All nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed.” —Revelation 15:4
God is Truthful
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?” —Numbers 23:19
“For the LORD’s decrees are just, and everything he does is fair.” —Psalm 33:4
God is Just
“As for the Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. He is a reliable God who is never unjust, he is fair and upright.” —Deuteronomy 32:4
“God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.” —Romans 3:25
God is Impartial
“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, …” —Deuteronomy 10:17
“He will reward each one according to his works…. For there is no partiality with God.” —Romans 2:6,11
God is Forbearing
“The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loyal love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations.” —Numbers 14:18
“The LORD is compassionate and merciful; he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.” —Psalm 103:8
“He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.” —Psalm 103:10
“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” —2 Peter 3:9
“But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8
“By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him.” —1 John 4:9
“And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in us. God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him.” —1 John 4:16
God is Gracious
“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God. You are patient and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.” —Psalm 86:15
“And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.” —2 Corinthians 9:8
“Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.” —Hebrews 4:16
God is Faithful
“So realize that the Lord your God is the true God, the faithful God who keeps covenant faithfully with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,…” —Deuteronomy 7:9
“For the Lord’s decrees are just, and everything he does is fair.” —Psalm 33:4
“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, since he cannot deny himself.” —2 Timothy 2:13
God is Merciful
“The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the LORD, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.” —Isaiah 55:7
“Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.” —Daniel 9:9
“…from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.” —Luke 1:50
God is Compassionate
“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” —2 Corinthians 1:3
“The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end.” —Lamentations 3:22
“He counts the number of the stars; he names all of them. Our LORD is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom.” —Psalm 147:4-5
God is Eternal and not bound by time
“’May the LORD God of Israel be praised, in the future and forevermore.’ Then all the people said, ‘We agree! Praise the LORD.’” —1 Chronicles 16: 36
“O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations! Even before the mountains came into existence, or you brought the world into being, you were the eternal God. You make mankind return to the dust, and say, ‘Return, O people!’ Yes, in your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday that quickly passes, or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.” —Psalm 90:1-4
“Your throne has been secure from ancient times; you have always been king.” —Psalm 93:2
“Trust in the Lord from this time forward, even in Yah, the Lord, an enduring protector!” —Isaiah 26:4
“He took his battle position and shook the earth; with a mere look he frightened the nations. The ancient mountains disintegrated; the primeval hills were flattened. His are ancient roads.” —Habakkuk 3:6
God is Self-sufficient and has no needs
“The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone.” —Acts 17:24-25
“Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all it contains belong to me.” —Psalm 50:12
God is Self-existent and has no origin
“’You are my witnesses,’ says the LORD, ‘my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may consider and believe in me, and understand that I am he. No god was formed before me, and none will outlive me.’” —Isaiah 43:10
“This is what the Lord, Israel’s king, says, their protector, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but me.” —Isaiah 44:6
God is Immutable and never changes
“Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.” —Malachi 3:6
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it?” —Numbers 23:19
“ I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.” —Ecclesiastes 3: 14
“The Lord revealed his faithful acts to Moses, his deeds to the Israelites.” —Psalm 103: 17
Here are seven important habits for building our relationship with God. You can form new habits that are in line with your new identity in Christ. All seven involve acknowledging God’s presence, communicating with Him through prayer, and thanking Him for His gracious involvement in our lives.
It takes time and consistency to develop a new habit. There are times when you may not “feel like” pursuing or loving God. Feelings come and go, and they are influenced by so many factors. For example, if you are physically tired, you may not feel any desire for God. In those times when feelings are absent, it is okay to “choose” to pursue or to love God simply because it is the right thing to do (a sense of duty).
You need to replace an old habit with a new one. For example, to know God, you want to develop a habit of spending time in the Word (reading the Bible). In order to do that, you will probably stop spending time doing something else. These habits should be practiced daily, and that requires discipline. But do not rely on your own strength. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
When we have developed a new habit, it becomes second nature. Practicing these habits now become a delight.
It begins with a desire. The desire results in pursuit. You will get to know God more. As you do, you will come to both love him more deeply and fear him more reverently. As a result, you will trust him more. This leads you to enjoy him in a way you never knew before. You treasure just being in his presence as King David did.
“I have asked the Lord for one thing—this is what I desire! I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord and contemplate in his temple.” – Psalm 27:4
When you enjoy nothing but the presence of the Lord in your life, it creates a deeper desire for Him in your heart, and the cycle continues.
The diagram below shows how these seven habits are related and work together to develop greater intimacy with God.
This diagram also shows that sometimes you can start the cycle at a different point. You may simply choose to pursue God without having a strong desire. You may start with “Know God” or “Love God” when you have an encounter with Jesus in your life. You may be overwhelmed by the love that his presence brings.
Wherever you start, what is important is to develop all of these seven habits over time.
Desire is an important starting point for any relationship. It is the degree of value you place on wanting to know the other person more. The desire for God needs to become a habitual driving force in our relationship.
David had a passionate heart for God. Here is how he expressed his desire:
“As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God! I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, ‘When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?’” – Psalm 42:1,2
What kind of relationship with God do you have? Is it just an acquaintance relationship — your knowledge of God is superficial and not personal? Is it more of a business relationship — you do something for God and in return expect Him to do something for you? Is it a casual friendship relationship — sometimes you want to be with God, but at other times you want to be left alone? Or is it a passionate relationship like David had — one of reverential intimacy?
How much do you desire God? Don’t ignore this vital habit. Once you have lost your desire for God it is much more difficult to regain it. Unfortunately, it is much easier to neglect desire than it is to nurture it. Nurture requires commitment, effort, and investment. The desire for God can be measured by how much we invest in the relationship.
How much do you desire God?
Time — How do you spend your time?
Do you carve out time in your schedule to be with God?
Do you think about your relationship with God throughout the day?
Do you read and meditate on God’s words for you?
Energy — What are your efforts focused on?
Does God get the tired hours of your day or your best hours?
Money — What are you spending your money on?
Are you willing to spend money on things that will enhance your relationship with God?
Is making money more important to you than spending time with God?
Reputation — What do others think of you?
Does your concern about what other people think hinder your relationship with God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to create a growing love within you for God. He can bring revival to your heart. Ask Him to fan the flames of your desire for God and replace a lukewarm attitude with a passionate longing for closeness.
The more you desire to be closer to God, the more you will invest in building your relationship with Him. God wants to be pursued. In fact, He will even create circumstances in our lives to motivate us to seek Him.
Pursuing God is an important habit in cultivating intimacy with Him. Consider the advice David gave to Solomon,
“And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.” – 1 Chronicles 28:9
David explains,
“The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.” – Psalm 14:2
Why does God want us to pursue Him?
Pursuing God requires wholehearted, focused attention. How well can you pursue a goal or person if your attention is divided? If you are pursuing God, you cannot also be pursuing idols.
Time and again the Israelites worshiped idols instead of God.
“They made him angry with their pagan shrines, and made him jealous with their idols.” – Psalm 78:58
When we pursue God, we are demonstrating our desire for Him. The pursuit reveals the priority we place on the relationship. It can be measured by the time, energy, and money we are willing to invest. And it is natural for us to have a greater appreciation and place a higher value on whoever or whatever it is for which we make those sacrifices.
God has created us for a relationship with Him. He has taken the initiative and made a great sacrifice on our behalf. Now He wants us to also make sacrifices for the sake of the relationship.
“Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service.” – Romans 12:1
So what’s involved in pursuing God?
Our investment > Seek God > Draw near to God > Wait on God
God wants us to seek Him. We are to search God out—to strive after a deeper relationship with Him.
“When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul” – Jeremiah 29:13
“Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby!” – Isaiah 55:6
“With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands.” – Psalm 119:10
God wants us to draw near to Him. We are to sincerely approach Him in humility and with regret for our sinfulness. He desires repentance leading to singular devotion. All too often we say all the right words to God but we are not being wholehearted.
Jesus sees through our façade,
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” – Matthew 15:8
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.” – James 4:8
God wants us to wait for Him. He is God. He is worth waiting for. His response to our desires will be according to His timetable. Meanwhile, during the interim, we are to have an attitude of patience, faith, and submission.
“Yes, as your judgments unfold, O Lord, we wait for you. We desire your fame and reputation to grow.” – Isaiah 26:8
“I rely on the Lord. I rely on him with my whole being; I wait for his assuring word.” – Psalm 130:5
What are you willing to invest in your pursuit of God? Seek Him, draw near to Him, wait on Him and He will reveal Himself to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to make your relationship with God the highest priority in your life.
“I seek your favor with all my heart. Have mercy on me as you promised.” – Psalm 119:58
Knowledge is the foundation for a relationship. Intimacy is only possible to the degree we know a person and have the right perception of them.
God wants us to know what He is really like. What are His character traits? What’s important to Him? What pleases Him?
When you’re in love with someone, you want to find out everything you can about the other person. Is that your experience with God?
The apostle Paul shared his prayer for the Ephesians,
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in your growing knowledge of him” – Ephesians 1:17
God reveals Himself to us in several different ways. We can see His fingerprints in the intricate design of the created world around us. We can see His mind and heart in the Bible. In the Gospels, we can also see God’s marvelous character lived out in the person of Jesus Christ, who came to earth to walk among us on a path that leads to heaven.
God inspired holy men of old to record His “autobiography.” Called the Holy Bible, its pages reveal liberating truths and life-changing insights. The priority we place on reading, studying, and memorizing Scripture indicates the importance we place on knowing Him.
The Bible contains God’s love letters to us. These are the words of our Creator, the heavenly Father who adopted us, the loving Savior who died for us, the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
The Bible has been supernaturally infused with the power to accomplish the eternal objectives of its divine Author.
But we must get to know Him better. Use the following questions to stimulate new interest in reading God’s Word:
God’s attributes: What are God’s character traits?
God’s names: How do God’s names reflect His roles in relating to His people?
God’s ways: What are God’s methods?
God’s blessings: How has God demonstrated His love for me?
God’s commandments: What does God want me to do?
God’s promises: How has God committed Himself to me?
God’s resources: How does God empower me, help me, and provide for me?
Do you want to know all about God? Do you appreciate and treasure the glimpses you receive through His handiwork and written word? Are you eager to discover even more?
Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes as you read the Bible so you can behold the magnificent God whose outstretched arms invite you to know Him intimately.
The more you get to know God, the more you will love Him. And the more you love Him, the more you will want to obey Him.
God is the initiator in this love relationship. The apostle John reveals, “We love because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19). The more we realize how great God’s love is for us, the more we will respond by loving Him.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians,
“that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, 18 you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:17-19
Do you have any idea of how much God loves you?
Consider the following acts of God’s love for you. . .
He died for us “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
He forgives our sins “Surely, for my welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.” – Isaiah 38:17, BSB
He does not condemn us “He does not always accuse, and does not stay angry. He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve.” – Psalm 103:9,10
He is gracious to us “But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!” – Ephesians 2:4,5
He adopted us “See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children—and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.” – 1 John 3:1
He gives us His attention “What is mankind that you make so much of them, and that you pay attention to them?” – Job 7:17
He gives us good gifts “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.” – James 1:17
He is faithful to us “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, since he cannot deny himself.” – 2 Timothy 2:13
He will always love us “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38,39
As the Holy Spirit helps us to understand the breadth and depth of God’s love for us, we respond with love for God.
There are several ways in which we demonstrate our love for God…
We love Him wholeheartedly “Jesus said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” – Matthew 22:37
We love Him most “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” – Matthew 10:37
We obey Him “The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.” – John 14:21
We love others “The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:8
We sacrifice for one another “But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?” – 1 John 3:17
We serve Him “because we recall in the presence of our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:3
We thank Him “Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. For the Lord is good and his unfailing love lasts forever.” – Jeremiah 33:11
We glorify Him “Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself, my lips will praise you.” – Psalm 63:3
We stay in God’s love “Maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.” – Jude 1:21
As you cultivate your love relationship with God, ask the Holy Spirit to make you evermore mindful of how much God loves you. And, as a result, expect the Holy Spirit to continually increase your love for God.
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – Romans 5:5
As you get to know God better, you will also develop reverential respect for His holy nature. It’s possible for us to have a love relationship with God, but to not give Him the respect that He is due — the respect that He demands.
We can’t live the way that God wants us to live apart from really understanding what it means to fear God. We can’t really learn what God wants us to learn apart from having that kind of attitude. And we certainly cannot worship Him the way that He deserves to be worshiped.
What does it mean to fear God?
The term for fear can describe everything from dread or being terrified, to standing in awe or having reverence. When used of the Lord, it applies to both aspects of the term, a shrinking back in recognition of the difference or holiness of God and drawing close in awe and worship. It is an attitude of both reluctance and adoration that results in a willingness to do what God says. The fear of the Lord, then, is absolutely necessary if we are even to begin on the right foot in learning, living, or worshiping. (From Hard Sayings of the Bible)
Do you revere God’s awesome holiness? Moses displayed a healthy fear of God’s greatness when he prayed, “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11)
Why should we fear God?
God’s greatness demands our reverential respect.
“From the north he comes in golden splendor; around God is awesome majesty. As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him! He is great in power, but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress. Therefore people fear him, for he does not regard all the wise in heart.” – Job 37:22-24
God’s Word demands our reverential respect.
“You stood before the Lord your God at Horeb and he said to me, ‘Assemble the people before me so that I can tell them my commands. Then they will learn to revere me all the days they live in the land, and they will instruct their children.’” – Deuteronomy 4:10
God’s works demand our reverential respect.
“And all people will fear. They will proclaim what God has done, and reflect on his deeds.” – Psalm 64:9
We demonstrate a healthy fear of God. . .
When we treat others rightly.
“and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” – Ephesians 5:21
When we live righteous lives.
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride and the evil way and perverse utterances.” – Proverbs 8:13
When we obey God’s commands.
“If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.” – Deuteronomy 5:29
When we serve Him.
“Serve the Lord in fear. Repent in terror.” – Psalm 2:11
When we teach others to respect God.
“Come children. Listen to me. I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord.” – Psalm 34:11
When we worship Him.
“Who will not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, because you alone are holy? All nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:4
Those who have a reverential fear of God enter into a special relationship with specific blessings.
Promises for those who fear God…
“The Lord shows his faithful followers the way they should live. They experience his favor; their descendants inherit the land. The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, and he reveals his covenantal demands to them.” – Psalm 25:12-14
“How great is your favor, which you store up for your loyal followers. In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.” – Psalm 31:19
“Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness” – Psalm 33:18
“The angel of the Lord camps around the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him. Fear the Lord, you chosen people of his, for those who fear him lack nothing.” – Psalm 34:7-9
“But the Lord continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, and is faithful to their descendants” – Psalm 103:17
“He gives food to his faithful followers; he always remembers his covenant.” – Psalm 111:5
“You loyal followers of the Lord, trust in the Lord. He is their deliverer and protector. The Lord takes notice of us; he will bless—he will bless the family of Israel, he will bless the family of Aaron. He will bless his loyal followers, both young and old.” – Psalm 115:11-13
“How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, each one who keeps his commands.” – Psalm 128:1
“He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers; he hears their cry for help and delivers them.” – Psalm 145:19
“The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.” – Psalm 147:11
“Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased; through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.” – Proverbs 16:6, NIV
“The reward for humility and fearing the Lord is riches and honor and life.” – Proverbs 22:4, NIV)
“From generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.” – Luke 1:50
Therefore. . .
“O Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Then I will obey your commands. Make me wholeheartedly committed to you.” – Psalm 86:11
“And if you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, live out the time of your temporary residence here in reverence.” – 1 Peter 1:17
“Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys his servant? Whoever walks in deep darkness, without light, should trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.” – Isaiah 50:10
“The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10
Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes with renewed understanding to these incredible truths and to help you grow in reverence of God.
Who or what is the object of your trust and faith? Is it God? Yourself? Someone else? Or maybe some material asset or resource? In who or what do you place your confidence that problems of today and the fears about tomorrow will be handled to your benefit?
Consider the advice of the Psalmist:
“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God.” – Psalm 20:7
” It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people.” – Psalm 118:8
“How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars.” – Psalm 40:4
The more you get to know God, the more you will understand how committed He is to you. As a result, you will be willing to entrust more of yourself into His capable care.
Three Reasons Why You Can Trust God
1. God has the ability to accomplish what concerns us.
“I am the Lord, the God of all humankind. There is, indeed, nothing too difficult for me.” – Jeremiah 32:27
“Oh, Sovereign Lord, you did indeed make heaven and earth by your mighty power and great strength. Nothing is too hard for you!” – Jeremiah 32:17
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” – Luke 1:37
2. God is committed to our well-being.
“For our hearts rejoice in him, for we trust in his holy name. May we experience your faithfulness, O Lord, for we wait for you.” – Psalm 33:21,22
“Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness” – Psalm 33:18
“An evil person suffers much pain, but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him.” – Psalm 32:10
3. God will do what he promises.
“And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.” – Hebrews 10:23
“For the Lord’s decrees are just, and everything he does is fair.” – Psalm 33:4
“He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:24
God is completely trustworthy. He has the ability to accomplish the things that concern you. He is committed to your well-being. And God will do what He promises. He has the integrity; He has the character to follow through. He is faithful.
Trust involves faith and hope. Isaiah admonishes us,
“Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys his servant?
Whoever walks in deep darkness,
without light, should trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.” – Isaiah 50:10
How many times have you felt like you were totally in the dark? You didn’t have a clue what to do next? These situations finally bring us to a point when we turn to God in desperation hoping He will respond to our prayers and bring deliverance. God wants us to trust Him during difficult times. Consider the following promises.
Trust God During the Good Times, As Well as the Bad
We all understand the need to trust God when we are in a time of crisis. We see that pattern repeated throughout the Old Testament. But during the good times, the children of Israel would forget about their God — they became self-reliant and turned away from Him. Then God would again put them into difficult situations and after a while, they once again turned to Him for help.
God explained to Isaiah,
“I am the one who forms light and creates darkness; the one who brings about peace and creates calamity. I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.” – Isaiah 45:7
When we find ourselves in darkness, there’s a reason why God has chosen to take away the light. When you’re in darkness, is it comforting to know that God is the One who is in absolute control of your difficult situation? Our sovereign, loving God brings good and bad into our lives to shape us and fulfill His purposes. We need to trust Him for the good, as well as the bad.
