“Many are the afflictions of the righteous,  but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
(Psalm 34:19 NKJV).

Everyone encounters difficulties in life.  Some difficulties are greater than others.  But for all those who truly seek to follow the Lord, He has promised to deliver them. Jesus affirmed this in (John 16:33 NKJV) when He said: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. “ (NKJV).   

Now exactly what does this look like in the real world?  There have been times when the Lord  sovereignly intervened in the situation  we were facing.   It  caused us to rejoice.  It strengthen our faith.  But we have also seen situations where we  were not delivered.  We prayed for the circumstances to change and they didn’t.  We prayed for a loved one to be healed and they weren’t.   And yet His word emphatically declares that He does deliver the righteous (the redeemed) out of them all.   So, how then  can we reconcile the two in light of scripture?

 We must learn to look at life  from God’s perspective.  God works from the standpoint of eternity, not time.  There are times when the Lord delivers quickly.  At other times  the deliverance takes much  longer than  expected.  And  the evil one whispers  that the Lord has abandoned us.   There are times when  the Lord delivers us from a situation.  At other times, He delivers us through a situation!  But in each situation the Lord is still the One who delivers! 

In all situations we must learn to trust the Lord.  He will deliver us in His time and in His way.  He will deliver us in the  way that will be for our greatest good and for His greatest glory.  It is in trusting Him that we discover His faithfulness.  It is in trusting Him,  when all the voices  around us  tells us not to,  that our faith in Him is deepened. 

Sometimes He delivers in life.  Sometimes He delivers through death.  But we can trust Him because  both in life and in death we belong to Him.  And He will deliver us in and through it all!   We can trust the One who has conquered death, hell and the grave!
 So, trust Him in the midst of all   you are facing right now.  He is faithful!  He will deliver!  He has never failed!  He never will! 

James W. Black