For years now, my main fitness workout has been going for long walks. However, the sidewalks in our neighborhood are old and cracked, and I've tripped and fallen hard 3 times. A couple of days ago I came across Psalm 121:3...
I pondered, "He will not suffer my foot to be moved,
and yet I've fallen hard 3 times?"
I assumed Psalm 121:3 was a reference and symbolism of safety for someone traversing over hill country and broken sidewalks. In both a spiritual and physical sense, Psalm 121:3 encourages confidence in God's protection. Even when hardship occur, we can know that God's still in control.
Even in all that Job went through when the Lord lowered that hedge of protection, He told Satan that he would not be able to take Job's life. There was still a level of protection around Job while he endured Satan's afflictions.
Satan took Job's children, and property, and health, but wasn't able to take his life.
Sovereign God is always in control of our circumstances whether rain or shine is upon us.
Heavenly Father makes His sun
rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just
and on the unjust. (Matt. 5:45)
Even when I trip and fall and He doesn't prevent it, He's still my keeper and He allowed it for a reason. He who keeps you will not slumber.
The psalmist David said,
"Behold, God is my helper;
for He has delivered me
out of all trouble." (Ps. 54:4, 7)
God Himself said,
"I will never leave you
nor forsake you." (Heb. 13:5)
After this last fall, I just got back up, turned around, and headed back home. Later, the Lord laid it on my heart to do some strength training (ST). When I researched ST, I saw that it improves power, speed, and endurance, while also increasing muscle loss that comes with aging... reducing the risk of falling by strengthening muscles and bone mass. God used those hard falls as a forerunner to greater workouts. Maybe I'll be running marathons now instead of just walking through the neighborhood. That would be awesome!
In the same way that bodily muscles are strengthened, God also strengthens our faith muscles through hard falls. There you have it. God has a purpose in what He does.
Abraham did not waiver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith and fully convinced that what God had promised, He was completely able to perform (Rom. 4:20-21). That's where the Lord wants to get us to. He is teaching us to trust in Him no matter what. His thoughts and ways are vastly different from ours. The Lord's reasons for permitting Job's affliction might not make perfect sense to us. In Satan's attacks against Job, his children and servants died horrible deaths, but we must not let anything deter us from believing in the goodness of God.
Recently, I heard a preacher say, "Let go of how you thought it was supposed to go, and when you thought it was supposed to get there." I always have an idea of how God should work out my dilemmas, and when it's going in the opposite direction of my prayers, my faith waivers.
If I read Psalm 121:3, and then get offended with my heavenly Father because He allowed me to fall hard 3 times, I am only doing myself harm. However, if I ask Him for an understanding of all this, He will surely enlighten me, and I'm glad He did.
Let strength training begin.đť„‚đť„‚—đť„‚đť„‚
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove †