by Ray Warfel, Jr.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday evening here at Winston-Salem, we are studying through the Psalms. Just a sampling of Psalms through the end of the year. I chose Psalm 31 for us to begin with, and I call this psalm: A Life Entrusted to God.<\/p>\n
One of the features we see in the Psalms is what I’d call the rocking boat. The ups and downs in life that the godly person will experience. My favorite example is the two psalms laid side by side. Psalms 22 and Psalm 23. You could even imagine them being one day after the other. The first begins, “My God, why have you forsaken me?<\/em>” And the next begins, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all I need<\/em>.” Walking with Jesus doesn’t smooth out all the waves, even though he did calm the storm on the sea. It doesn’t fill in all the dark valleys, but it also doesn’t reduce the highest joys.<\/p>\n David shares the pain of a particular season. How long it continued, I do not know, but it seems to have been for some time. Think about these lines: “Be gracious to me, Lord, because I am in distress; my eyes are worn out from frustration-my whole being as well. Indeed, my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. I am ridiculed by all my adversaries and even by my neighbors. I am dreaded by my acquaintances; those who see me in the street run from me. I am forgotten: gone from memory like a dead person-like broken pottery. I have heard the gossip of many; terror is on every side. When they conspired against me, they plotted to take my life<\/em>” (Psalms 31:9-13).<\/p>\n I’d like to add a couple of notes or paraphrase what I hear David saying. It is David’s psalm, but in years past these have been the words of my prayers. And I suppose they may be again someday when distress comes back.<\/p>\n I prayed, Jesus, I cry all the time; I can’t even hide it anymore. I’m emotionally exhausted. I can’t catch my breath; it feels like a panic attack is coming over me. And God, you know it feels like it’s always been like this my whole life. And I’m tired, Lord, so tired. I feel like Brownie, the old Chevy. I’m down a cylinder; my engine is still running, but there is just no power. I’ve barely got enough juice to get out of my own way. I know I’ve made mistakes, but the consequences are wearing me out. And God, nobody is on my side. Everybody is an enemy. Even my friends don’t want to be around me anymore. Is it because of my complaining or what? Are they afraid they’ll catch this misery from me like a disease? But honestly, they’d rather not even think about me at all. God, I feel forgotten. Like I’ve just been thrown away. Like a piece of garbage. And I know what those hateful ones say about me. They wish I were dead. But I trust in you, Lord.<\/p>\n That is the rocking boat of faith. Distress is real. The pain is real. The waves are real. But so is God. A life entrusted to God isn’t a life without distress; it is a life that knows where to turn when distress comes.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Ray Warfel, Jr. On Wednesday evening here at Winston-Salem, we are studying through the Psalms. Just a sampling of Psalms through the end of the year. I chose Psalm 31 for us to begin with, and I call this psalm: A Life Entrusted to God. One of the features we see in the Psalms…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[652,516,182,188],"class_list":["post-97954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-grief","tag-psalms","tag-suffering","tag-trials"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2345,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/psalms-22\/","url_meta":{"origin":97954,"position":0},"title":"Psalms 22","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Psalms 22 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Life can get very difficult at times and we can easily get overwhelmed by the struggle. What do we do? II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Why doesn\u2019t God do something? - Psalms 22:1-5 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We not only want a solution, we also have a time in mind that we want it solved\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49353,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/doesnt-psalms-91-promise-protection-from-harm\/","url_meta":{"origin":97954,"position":1},"title":"Doesn’t Psalms 91 promise protection from harm?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, Thank you for this opportunity to send in questions. I read through another question on your site, one about\u00a0why God allows suffering, innocent children to die, etc. Your response was enlightening. Thank you. I would like to find out if you know why God actually allows the suffering\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68738,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/precious-in-the-sight-of-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":97954,"position":2},"title":"Precious in the Sight of the LORD","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Tommy Peeler \"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones\" (Psalm 116:15). What does this mean? Psalms 116 is best described as an individual psalm of thanksgiving. He is thanking God for saving his life. The writer had an experience where the \"cords\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26886,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/psalms-100\/","url_meta":{"origin":97954,"position":3},"title":"Psalms 100","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 100 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There is a psalm which is specifically titled as one to be used for thanksgiving or during a thank offering, it is Psalms 100 II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What you should do ... \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Shout joyfully to the Lord \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some things are not meant to be kept\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67867,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/growing-old-in-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":97954,"position":4},"title":"Growing Old in the Lord","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above Text: Psalm 71 Young people may consider an aged person's life free from problems. \u00a0For example, they see an older person as one who does not have to face the difficulties of employment, child-rearing, and sometimes even house payments. \u00a0They may note that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/micheile-henderson-PpZasS086os-unsplash-200x300.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":21209,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/in-the-almightys-shadow\/","url_meta":{"origin":97954,"position":5},"title":"In the Almighty’s Shadow","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 91 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Where do you go when things get difficult? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It isn\u2019t that a Christian\u2019s life is free from troubles \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jesus warned of persecution - Matthew 5:10-12 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There will be division in families - Matthew 10:34-36 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There will be trials to bear up under\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97954"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97957,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97954\/revisions\/97957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}