Theme of the Week: Trusting God
Bible Verse: “Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.” Psalm 119:66 ESV
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:65-72
My daughter was born early, got sick in the NICU, and was later diagnosed with a genetic condition. We spent three months visiting a tiny, sick, intubated little girl in the NICU. That season was among the hardest I’ve experienced. Seeing premature babies, especially my own, suffer day-after-day tested my trust in God.
I was sitting next to her crib in the hospital one day. I pulled out my Bible to read the day’s assigned passage. It was in First or Second Chronicles. Then I made a big mistake. After reading about king what’s-his-name for two minutes I shut my Bible in frustration and didn’t open it again for months. I prayed regularly. My belief in Jesus didn’t change. But I didn’t spend any time in the Bible. It just didn’t seem relevant to what was happening in front of me.
A few years later I went through another season that tested my trust in God, but this time I did the opposite. I read more Scripture than normal. I set aside time each day to read the Bible and pray.
When you are going through a hard season, dive into Bible reading. Let Scripture fill your life. Read it more than you normally would, even if the passages seem irrelevant to your pain. The goal is to remind yourself of God’s voice, God’s character, and the stories that are the foundation of your faith.
Don’t expect the Bible to work like a book of magic spells. You’re unlikely to find a random verse that speaks to your situation. That’s what I was hoping for in the NICU. But that’s a poor reading of the Bible. It’s not approaching Scripture for what it is. The Spirit of God may indeed speak to your heart as you read something unrelated to your circumstances, but that doesn’t mean we should read the Bible through the lens of our situation.
Instead, expect to get lost in the story of God again. Expect to hear God’s voice again. Allow yourself to be reminded of the stories and verses that built your faith in the past. Let God speak.
Prayer: Dear God, I believe the Bible is a gift. Its stories, poems, songs, letters, and everything else reveal you. Let me hear your story and your voice afresh as I read today. Remind me of my past faith as I face present trials.
Reflection: Think of a time when you were hungry to read the Bible. Which passages spoke to you? Which stories resonated deeply with you? Which parts of the Bible did God use to build your faith at that time? Go back to those passages and read them again.
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