He Won't Leave You
Do you ever feel like life has knocked the breath out of you? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s no secret that this world is full of both goodness and trouble.
King David, whose life was recorded in various parts of the Old Testament, was highly accustomed to trouble—constantly threatened by legitimate enemies and faced with the reality of impending death.
Yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he wrote:
“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.”
Psalm 34:19 NLT
If there’s one thing you can depend on, it’s that God is alive, active, and ever-present in your life—yes, even the hardest parts of your life.
But who is the “righteous person” David speaks of in this particular Psalm, when other parts of the Bible say things like, “no one is righteous—not even one”? (Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:3). There’s a trick to understanding this at-first-glance contradiction:
Righteousness can’t be achieved, but it can be given.
When we trust in God, as well as His Son, Jesus Christ (who sacrificed His life so that we could truly live), we’re trusting that His righteousness will extend to us as well.
To put it simply, a righteous person is one who relies on God’s righteousness.
Seems unfair and unmerited, doesn’t it? But that’s grace. It’s by grace, through faith, that we—that you—can be counted as righteous. You can’t work for it and you can’t buy it.
Because of that, when we’re facing hard stuff, we can expect God to show up in a million unique ways. Not because we’re righteous on our own, but because He is righteous on His own. And His righteousness has no limits.
So how does God show up?
He guides. He comforts. He corrects. He reroutes. He reminds us of true things. He helps us persevere. He brings wisdom and discernment to our minds. He inspires others to help us. He compels us to help others. He gives us peace in the midst of trouble. He encourages us as we stand boldly in faith. He works and works and works in mysterious ways.
And just when you might wonder if your neediness is becoming a nuisance to God, remember: God’s presence is inexhaustible and His resources are limitless. It’s good to need God every moment of every day. To breathe. To survive. To flourish.
So yes, trouble will come. But God will never leave your side.
Choose Thankfulness
For years, nothing in King David’s life looked “good.” His family underestimated him, giants despised him, and his father-in-law spent years trying to kill him. But the whole time, David clung to a promise that God would establish him, and eventually make him king of Israel.
David never gave up or gave in—he chose to stay close to God and wait for Him to act. And when God showed up, this is how David responded:
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV
David knew that even when life didn’t look good, he served a God who IS good. And this same God is still actively fighting for us now.
Through His Son, Jesus, He has given us continual access to Himself. We can never lose His unfailing love toward us—a love that endures forever, no matter what goes on around us.
David recognized this, and proclaimed it. And every day, we have the opportunity to do the same.
Here are 2 practical ways that we can respond to ...