Always Faithful
When I was asked to write this article for Faith & Fellowship and was given the topic, “Looking to the Word in all of life’s circumstances,” my first thought was, “There is no way that I should be the one writing about that.” Spending consistent time in God’s Word has always been a struggle for me. I thought, “I will be a total fraud if I write an article about the importance of reading Scripture, and meanwhile, neglect spending time in the Word in my own life.” But I know God shows his faithfulness through our weaknesses and shortcomings. So here I am, writing this from a place of humility and thankfulness for God’s grace and goodness to me. I want to share a few Scripture passages that God has used in my life. Though I may neglect his Word or even take it for granted, he is always faithful to use it in bringing about good and drawing me closer to himself.
There is a certain Psalm that I have grown to love, especially while walking through trials. It is Psalm 13. David is crying out to the Lord, feeling as though he has been forsaken. He speaks with raw honesty, asking God in verse 2, “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” Many of us can relate to this lament by David. Whether we are struggling with mental health, believing lies fed to us by the enemy, or just trying to make it through the day, we can feel overwhelmed and disheartened by life’s circumstances. God wants us to come to him, just as David does, and cry out for help. The display of David’s genuine struggle here is such a gift to the reader—at least it was for me, because it gave words to my feelings that I have toward God when I’m “in the valley.” The final two verses of Psalm 13 are my favorite part: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” David finishes with praise. Even as he is walking through the valley, he knows that God is good and faithful. He cries out to God and wrestles with his thoughts, but in the end, he returns to what he knows about God and gives him glory and praise.
Another verse that I cling to is Psalm 119:130, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” I am so grateful for this truth. Even in my wandering and lack of focus on God’s Word, the Word never fails in bringing hope. Most days, if not all days, I feel very “simple,” as stated in this verse. I feel uncertain of what to do in many of life’s circumstances, but God’s Word gives us direction as we are called to live by faith. Don’t get me wrong, there are many times in my life where I wish Scripture were a little more specific and gave me step-by-step instructions for my specific circumstance. But that’s just not how it works most of the time. What I do know, and what brings immense peace, is that God has included in Scripture everything that we NEED to know. All the answers that we truly need are found through Christ, as laid out in Scripture, and for that I am thankful.
A friend of mine just lost her dad to a disease that he has been fighting for a long time. She reached out to me asking for Scripture verses that could be used at the funeral that would acknowledge the struggles her dad had in his life, while also giving hope. When I was looking for verses, I was struck by how consistently Scripture spoke to the cry of her heart. It is laid out for us that “in this world we will have trouble,” but we can “take heart because [Christ] has overcome the world” (John 16:33). Verse after verse gives hope to our lives, whether we are in a season of celebration or a season of grief.
It was a reminder that I didn’t even realize I needed. As I spent time looking through Scripture to help a friend, God used it to remind me that his Word brings life and gives light. I need these reminders in my life, as I often try to figure things out on my own or turn to other people in hopes of receiving guidance and clarity. God is eagerly waiting for us to look to his Word and hear his voice and get to know his heart.
My hope for you today is that God would encourage and remind you that his Word is living and active and accessible to us. I am so thankful that God does not keep score of how often I turn to his Word. He is just faithful in using it every time I turn to it. He is gracious to us in freely giving us his truth and showing us his love. I hope and pray that God would use his Word to draw each of us to himself. God promises that our time in his Word will deliver peace, meaning, and hope to our lives. When we spend time in his Word, it is nothing less than time spent walking with Jesus himself.
There is a certain Psalm that I have grown to love, especially while walking through trials. It is Psalm 13. David is crying out to the Lord, feeling as though he has been forsaken. He speaks with raw honesty, asking God in verse 2, “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” Many of us can relate to this lament by David. Whether we are struggling with mental health, believing lies fed to us by the enemy, or just trying to make it through the day, we can feel overwhelmed and disheartened by life’s circumstances. God wants us to come to him, just as David does, and cry out for help. The display of David’s genuine struggle here is such a gift to the reader—at least it was for me, because it gave words to my feelings that I have toward God when I’m “in the valley.” The final two verses of Psalm 13 are my favorite part: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” David finishes with praise. Even as he is walking through the valley, he knows that God is good and faithful. He cries out to God and wrestles with his thoughts, but in the end, he returns to what he knows about God and gives him glory and praise.
Another verse that I cling to is Psalm 119:130, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” I am so grateful for this truth. Even in my wandering and lack of focus on God’s Word, the Word never fails in bringing hope. Most days, if not all days, I feel very “simple,” as stated in this verse. I feel uncertain of what to do in many of life’s circumstances, but God’s Word gives us direction as we are called to live by faith. Don’t get me wrong, there are many times in my life where I wish Scripture were a little more specific and gave me step-by-step instructions for my specific circumstance. But that’s just not how it works most of the time. What I do know, and what brings immense peace, is that God has included in Scripture everything that we NEED to know. All the answers that we truly need are found through Christ, as laid out in Scripture, and for that I am thankful.
A friend of mine just lost her dad to a disease that he has been fighting for a long time. She reached out to me asking for Scripture verses that could be used at the funeral that would acknowledge the struggles her dad had in his life, while also giving hope. When I was looking for verses, I was struck by how consistently Scripture spoke to the cry of her heart. It is laid out for us that “in this world we will have trouble,” but we can “take heart because [Christ] has overcome the world” (John 16:33). Verse after verse gives hope to our lives, whether we are in a season of celebration or a season of grief.
It was a reminder that I didn’t even realize I needed. As I spent time looking through Scripture to help a friend, God used it to remind me that his Word brings life and gives light. I need these reminders in my life, as I often try to figure things out on my own or turn to other people in hopes of receiving guidance and clarity. God is eagerly waiting for us to look to his Word and hear his voice and get to know his heart.
My hope for you today is that God would encourage and remind you that his Word is living and active and accessible to us. I am so thankful that God does not keep score of how often I turn to his Word. He is just faithful in using it every time I turn to it. He is gracious to us in freely giving us his truth and showing us his love. I hope and pray that God would use his Word to draw each of us to himself. God promises that our time in his Word will deliver peace, meaning, and hope to our lives. When we spend time in his Word, it is nothing less than time spent walking with Jesus himself.
Solveig Brunkow serves on the Deacon Board at Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church in Moorhead, Minnesota.
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