Psalm 112 is a wonderful encouragement about the righteous person in God. Verse 1 says, Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! It lists some enriching promises, one of which boldly proclaims, For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. Psalm 112: 6
Of course, we are not righteous in and of our own doing, but through the finished work of our Saviour Jesus on the cross. We can rest in His righteousness that He provides, and because of Him, we stand alive, forgiven and pure before the Father, praise God!
Also, within this encouraging and affirming Psalm is a verse that has caught my heart for a different reason. Let’s take a look. Psalm 112:7 speaks of the believer: He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
Let’s be honest. None of us like receiving bad news. It is not a nice thing to get a knock at the door from someone telling us they have just clipped our car on the way past the house, or to get a phone call to say a loved one has been in an accident or an email in work to say a project has gone wrong and the boss wants a word! You get the picture… and we have all been there; bad news is not what gets us up in the morning.
That being said, if we are constantly afraid of getting bad news, it speaks to something deeper in us. If we fear the future or find ourselves asking what will happen next, with the thought of ‘I can’t take anymore’, it often indicates that our tank is full and overflowing. Not overflowing with goodness or the presence of Jesus but with worry, fear, anxieties, life’s circumstances, and even being overwhelmed with busyness. It is possible to be so burdened, our minds so consumed and overwhelmed, with the feeling of mentally drowning at times, that we can literally be afraid of anything else bad that might inconvenience us in any way. This is said with no condemnation, but that is not how we are called to live as believers.
It may have been, or it may right now be, a challenging season that you find yourself in. Let me encourage you, instead of rushing to get through, slow down and find solace at His feet for a while. Take a breath, and remind yourself of the promises of God over life, both now and for eternity. Ask the Lord to give you firmness of heart, strength for the season, grace, love and in deep trust in Him. You cannot do this alone and He who holds the future, holds you and everything concerning you, in His hands. Take a moment, rest and trust that; The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever–forsake not the works of Your own hands. Psalm 138:8.
Heavenly Father, You are the perfecter of all things concerning me. Lord, help me be in a space where I do not fear bad news, where I am not overwhelmed and drowning in life’s difficulties. But help me reside in Your perfect presence, drinking from Your all-sufficient supply of grace. I trust You, in and through it all, I trust You. Amen.