Is The Lord Pleased With Us?
I am afraid at times we wonder if the Lord is pleased with us or as the Psalmist said, “By this I know that thou favourest me...” We wonder if God’s favor or smile is upon us. We wonder if He is with us, to be very honest. Trouble and trial comes into our lives, and we wonder if maybe we have done wrong. Maybe the Lord is chastening us. Maybe we are reaping something we have sown. Maybe we are out of His favor. How many thoughts crowd our minds in this regard! How then can we know the Lord does favor us and is pleased with us? Here in Psalm 41:11 the writer gives a plain and simple answer. He knows the Lord favors him because his enemies do not triumph over him. Read it. Enemies all around him and ourselves. They come in many forms. Whatever they may be; we can see God’s favor by our triumph. Take your circumstances in life. It may be everything from your health or finances to besetting sins and obvious attacks on you by others. Some times it is so obvious and bad that others (family members, neighbors, co-workers, Christians, etc.) make it plain they want you to fall or fail. They attack you. They try to get you to quit. They try to discourage you so you retreat. It comes in many forms. Yet it does not stop you. It may and will test you greatly. Many thoughts of despair and discouragement come your way. The frown of man makes you hesitate. Fear can overwhelm our souls. But you get up and go forward. You don’t retreat from godliness, the will of God and serving the Lord. You don’t succumb to that besetting sin so that it takes over your life. You don’t stop living for Christ. Yes, at times we go and weep bitter tears due to our failures before the Lord. But you continue to live for the Lord, to seek Him, to gather with His people, to witness of His saving grace, to do what He has enabled you to do. You and I are triumphing over our enemies, not them over us when this is true. And this is God’s favor upon us. He is pleased with us. Are you going forward? Are you still living the same consecrated life? Are you still serving the Lord? Are you still maintaining the same degree of Godliness in your home? Then take heart. The Lord favors you and I! He is pleased with us! Our enemies have not triumphed over us. He has upheld you in your integrity (Ps. 41:12). He has set you before His face. Say then as the Psalmist “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting. Amen and Amen!