Have you ever been personally attacked?

Maybe not physically, though that could be true.  But certainly verbally and emotionally.

And attacked by someone you trusted?  Someone who had power over you like a boss, parent or spouse?

How did you feel?  Angry, hurt, vengeful, helpless?

I’d guess all of those and more than once.  Welcome to life.

Yet when we stew in our anger we damage ourselves more than the other person.  Kind of like slapping yourself to get back at who slapped you.  Not exactly effective.

That’s what I love about this verse after David talks about being helplessly attacked.

“But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.”

Wait, what? You mean when you stop fighting back you find peace?

See the word meek doesn’t mean wimp.  It means trusting in someone who does have the power.

Kind of like facing down an attacker in school when a bunch of your buddies walk up.  Suddenly you’re the big man on campus.

Only God is your powerful buddy.  So when you trust in his power you find peace.

And confidence that no matter how powerful your adversary they can’t keep you from God’s promises.

Nice to remember when you feel overpowered.  Remember, whose buddy is biggest.

*Psalm 37:11 (NIV)

We’ve all had times we’ve been treated unfairly.  Perhaps in your marriage, job, family or a friendship, someone you trusted attacked you.

Yet, you felt powerless to defend yourself because they held the power.  It left you knowing you ought to forgive but feeling more like you’d rather slap them, of course in the most spiritual way.

What do you do when you simply can’t win?

David writes, “For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

I had this happen recently and when I reread this promise I thought, “Yes, that’s it.”

See no matter what power that person has it pales in comparison to God’s.

And God promises success and prosperity, what the promise land meant.

So when you hope in God for that, you can rest that eventually he’ll provide it.  No matter how powerful your attacker they can’t thwart one ounce of God’s promise.

When I came back to resting in that I discovered good in the midst.  I have confidence that they may have one this skirmish but God will win the war.

And for today that’s enough.

Well, actually I still want to slap him, but in the most spiritual way.

*Psalm 37:9 (NIV)

I just had a writing project crash that I’ve been working on for a year.

A couple of weeks ago I had a breakthrough and was getting great traction.  Then suddenly, without any indication, a key player pulled the plug sending me a form letter.

I felt stunned and ticked.  My first reaction was, “Really?  Are you freaking kidding me?”

My second response was, “Why God?  This project furthers your ministry.  Why aren’t you blessing it?”

This is so fresh I don’t have answers.  So it’s perhaps a great time to write.

Because we all face those setbacks when there seems to be no end and no answer.  Maybe you face one now.

I reread a verse this morning which shines some light though.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed . . . . (and) carry out their wicked schemes.”

Now I can tell you patience isn’t my strongest gift.  And yes my wife would concur.

Yet, uncharacteristically, I’ve found a level of it.

I’m choosing to just be still and wait.  I’m trusting that God has a better plan and won’t be thwarted.

So I turn it over to him to let him work.

Well actually, occasionally I also want to scream.

*Psalm 37:7 (NIV)

“It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.”  (Galatians 6:15, NLT)

Have you ever had times you thought, “Man, I’ve blown it now.  God will never forgive me?”

I have, more than once—in an hour.

Then you continue to beat yourself up running through your mind all the “If only’s”.

Yet in reality, we don’t get Mulligan’s like in golf do we?  As our moms used to say, “You’ve made your bed now you get to live in it.”

Yet, God does offer us do-over’s.  Oh, you may still wrestle with natural consequences but God offers a fresh beginning.

It doesn’t depend on following religious rules.  It comes as we turn to God and say, “Ok, I want to walk with you in the daylight.”

Then he forgives your stumbles, picks you up out of the mud and tells you, “You are my child.”

He forms in you new desires and leads you by the hand out of the chaos into the light.

I’ve seen it in my own life and in the lives of others.  And it’s offered to you as well.

Oh, and sorry Mom for not making my bed.