Scripture for Study and Encouragement: Psalm 22

Today you’ll wonder if you’ll have enough, or you’ll tell yourself,
“The Lord will provide,” and in faith you’ll move forward.

To live the way you have been called and graced to live, you have to know your address. You have to understand what it means to live where you live every day. For example, if you live in the city, you know that parking is going to be a problem. If you live in the suburbs, you know you’ll have a big yard that will require maintenance. If you live in the inner city, you may need to be aware of the dangers on the streets at night. If you live in an old house, you can be sure that you’ll need to hone your carpentry, electricity, and plumbing skills, because some parts of the structure are going to give way. The same is true spiritually. It is essential that you understand the implications of living where you live or you’ll find yourself confused and unprepared over and over again.

You and I live between the “already” and the “not yet.” Jesus has made the ultimate sacrifice. The wisdom of the word has been placed in your hands. The Holy Spirit has come to live inside you. But the work of God in you, for you, and through you has not yet been completed. This means that sin has not yet been fully eradicated and you are not yet all that grace will transform you to be. The last enemy of God has not yet been placed under the powerful foot of the Messiah. So the moral battle still rages. The spiritual war still goes on. That means you need to understand that you live in a war zone. And you need to be very clear on this—that great spiritual war is fought on the turf of your heart and it’s fought for control of your soul. Your life is lived every day in the middle of that war. It’s a war of doubt and faith. It’s a war of submission and rebellion. It’s a war of anxiety and trust. It’s a war of wisdom and foolishness. It’s a war of hope and despair. It’s a war of allegiance and disloyalty. It’s a war.

Perhaps the epicenter of that war is this question: “Will the Lord do what he has promised?” Will the Lord provide? Can I step out in faith and courage, knowing that the Lord is with me and will provide what I need when I need it? Or do I have to worry that, when it comes to push and shove, I won’t have enough? Should I be afraid, or is God trustworthy?

When you hit hard times, when your weakness is exposed, be ready for the enemy to whisper in your ear, “Where is your God now?” and be ready to respond, “He is where he has been and always will be—with me in power, glory, and grace.” You won’t always feel his nearness, but you can rest assured he will never abandon you. He is the one who said, “Behold, I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20), and he never goes back on his word.

Adapted and modified excerpts from Paul David Tripp, 40 Days of Faith
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.