“Trouble and anguish have come upon me, yet Your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.” Psalm 119:143-144

Trouble…it seems like a simple enough word to understand.   However, when looking at definitions from secular sources, those provided were vague and had more to do with how trouble affects our comfort level or convenience rather than anything significant.  In contrast, “Vine’s Bible Dictionary” states it clearly as:  tribulation or affliction.  Trouble comes in many forms.  At times it is the result of a personal attack while at other times it is and “random”/general attack that we’re caught in.  It may be an external threat or an internal one such as mental or physical illness.  The point is that, as those living in a fallen world, we are going to experience trouble throughout our lives from the trivial to the monumental.  We will enjoy a more peaceful existence if we learn to view it as God does and trust that He is ever faithful to care for us.  One of the mental hurdles for us is that from our perspective, God’s care for us appears to be inconsistent.

Protector – Several passages in scripture describe God as a place of defense.  That is, He is the solid rock beneath us, a shelter around us or even a fortress.  While trouble may surround us and close enough that we are keenly aware of the danger or “war” being waged, we are safely guarded by God’s “hedge of protection”.  While the attacks certainly threaten our well-being, we are safely distanced from them by God’s intervention.  Think of Daniel in the lion’s den.  The very real threat was literally surrounding him, but God kept Daniel in peace and safety by closing their mouths.  God is faithful to do that for us as well.

Defender – Other passages describe God as more active in our protection.  He is compared to a bird covering us with His wings, a shepherd or a strong and holy right arm.  A mother hen hides her young and uses her own body to defend her young.  A shepherd reaches keeps the flock together and protects the sheep from attack as David did a lion and a bear.  God’s holy right arm is evidenced in the story of Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13-19:37).  Hezekiah prayed to God and He sent His angels to destroy 185,000 Assyrians without the Israelites doing anything themselves.  He completely wiped out the threat.  Again, God is always our faithful defender who is ever watchful with respect to our needs.

Provider – God promises to supply all of our needs.  We are to simply “seek first His kingdom”; to love God and love others; and to show our love by trusting and obeying Him.

While we often witness God’s divine intervention in our lives, He regularly permits trouble to impact us directly for His divine purposes.  They may be for our benefit, the benefit of another or some undisclosed purpose; no matter the reason, God is still protecting, defending and supplying our needs in several ways.  First He is still with us and will not leave us.  He will provide the grace and the strength necessary to endure.  Finally, He still defends us and protects us from other threats that are not according to His purposes so that all things work together for our good as we love Him and seek to obey Him.

We get very excited to see God working as our shelter, our defender or supply a need in some miraculous way.  However, when He calls us to rely on His strength to endure, we tend to allow doubts about His character or care begin to arise.  In contrast, the writer of Psalm 119 gives us a clear example of how to guard our thoughts.   As stated in part one of this series ( Trouble, Anguish and Understanding – Pt. 1  Give Me Understanding ), he requests understanding.   Not to understand the situation but to more completely understand God and His teachings.  Further, He never questions God’s character, intentions or provisions.  Rather, throughout the Psalm, he affirms that God is blessed, good, righteous, upright, faithful, and loving.  Finally, as he is requesting that God rescue and save him from external threats as well as forgiving him for sin within him; he is also clearly focused on revival and teaching to that he may live well for His Lord.  When the themes are combined, the writer is asking God to refine him, purify him and equip him.  It is an attitude of drawing closer to God; desiring to serve Him alone; and recognizing the need to be equipped rather than questioning God’s character, promises or devotion.

Until Christ returns, tribulations and afflictions will abound and impact us in varying degrees.  However, God’s care for us in every circumstance is complete and consistent from the day we are born until the day we die.  Each trouble that invades our lives is ordained with His divine purpose.  If we respond intuitively, we are opening the door for doubt to creep in as well as unintentionally inviting evil forces to challenge and undermine our faith.  However, when we respond intentionally by going to God, spending time in His word and affirming what we know to be true about Him, we grow, are refined and are equipped.  Further, it strengthens the relationship with our Lord.  It’s a matter of training and choice that is most assuredly worth the effort.

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!  May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!

Will