“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you” (Psalm 37:3-5 NLT).
When the pleasures of our heart are focused on the Lord, we have great confidence in His promise of safety, help, and prosperity. It’s not difficult to entrust Him with our deepest concerns and our most precious possessions, because He has proven Himself trustworthy. Darkness may be enveloping the earth, but we have assurance that the promise of His glory will shine on us (see Isaiah 60:2). Because our trust is complete in Him, we always expect things to turn in our favor.
Life’s difficulties can literally become the Lord’s opportunities. Paul said it this way: “I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10 NASV).
Although none of us look forward to difficulties, insults, or persecution, we can be confident that when we are at our weakest, He will demonstrate His mighty strength on our behalf! When problems come into our lives, we can look to the Word of God and be assured that He will turn every situation to our advantage.
Romans 8:28 promises, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT). What the enemy meant for evil, God will turn to our advantage.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the gold statue, King Nebuchadnezzar had fashion in his own likeness, he flew into a rage and ordered them to be thrown into a fiery furnace. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said:
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty” (Daniel 3:16-17 NLT).
We may feel as if we are in a fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. But just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego we can experience supernatural victory when we trust in the Living God as our safety and protector. Notice what the king said after God delivered them:
“Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God” (v. 28 NLT).
What a testimony we become to the world when we make bold statements of trust in God no matter what threatens us. Like the psalmist we can declare: “This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him” (Psalm 91:1 NLT).
