I confess; I have grumbled and complained when life through curve balls of criticism at me, my family, and our service to God.  I didn’t (and still don’t) understand and would often ask God why—especially when I was sure what was being said and done came from God’s Holy Spirit direction.  Undue and unwarranted criticism from left field that is proceeded by gossip behind our backs is not only dysfunctional among God’s children, it is so sinfully discouraging in the family of God.  Jesus teaches us to talk to each other instead of about each other.

But when we all see Jesus and surrender to God’s call and His will, it is peace in the valley of our hearts as great things are accomplished as an army who is led by God.  Like the old TV show, The A Team, “I love it when a plan comes together” with everyone doing their best along with others doing their best to please God in all we think, say, and do.  But the Enemy of God and us, hates all plans done in Jesus Name for His glory and our good.  Therefore troubles, roadblocks, sour attitudes tainted by lies, and other obstacles of life come when we least expect it—while serving the Lord with all that is in us!  It is up to us how we will respond.  We have a choice.  God or our Enemy?

Psalm 44, The Message

^1-3 We’ve been hearing about this, God,
    all our lives.
Our fathers told us the stories
    their fathers told them,
How single-handedly you weeded out the godless
    from the fields and planted us,
How you sent those people packing
    but gave us a fresh start.
We didn’t fight for this land;
    we didn’t work for it—it was a gift!
You gave it, smiling as you gave it,
    delighting as you gave it.

^4-8 You’re my King, O God—
    command victories for Jacob!
With your help we’ll wipe out our enemies,
    in your name we’ll stomp them to dust.
I don’t trust in weapons;
    my sword won’t save me—
But it’s you, you who saved us from the enemy;
    you made those who hate us lose face.
All day we parade God’s praise—
    we thank you by name over and over.

^9-12 But now you’ve walked off and left us,
    you’ve disgraced us and won’t fight for us.
You made us turn tail and run;
    those who hate us have cleaned us out.
You delivered us as sheep to the butcher,
    you scattered us to the four winds.
You sold your people at a discount—
    you made nothing on the sale.

^13-16 You made people on the street,
    people we know, poke fun and call us names.
You made us a joke among the godless,
    a cheap joke among the rabble.
Every day I’m up against it,
    my nose rubbed in my shame—
Gossip and ridicule fill the air,
    people out to get me crowd the street.

^17-19 All this came down on us,
    and we’ve done nothing to deserve it.
We never betrayed your Covenant: our hearts
    were never false, our feet never left your path.
Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals?
    or lockup in a black hole?

^20-22 If we had forgotten to pray to our God
    or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
Wouldn’t God have figured this out?
    We can’t hide things from him.
No, you decided to make us martyrs,
    lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.

^23-26 Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day?
    Wake up! Don’t you care what happens to us?
Why do you bury your face in the pillow?
    Why pretend things are just fine with us?
And here we are—flat on our faces in the dirt,
    held down with a boot on our necks.
Get up and come to our rescue.
    If you love us so much, Help us!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

BACKGROUND:  The sons of Korah, temples worship leaders, wrote this psalm after Israel lost a war. The Israelites did not understand what caused them to lose. Although disappointed and confused, the Israelites kept trusting in God. They praised him and knew that He continued to be strong and would go before them, be with them, and stand behind them in all their battles with evil forces.  Indeed, it is God who is our victory of over the Enemy.

Do we believe God will do the same for us?  What is our response? Pause to pray because this is personal and essential to our growing intimate relationship with God!

Need help?  Warren Wiersbe writes;

The psalmist came to the place where he knew he could trust God to handle the defeats of life and ultimately turn them into victories. We can’t always explain the so-called tragedies of life, especially those that happen to God’s people, but Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah gives us wise counsel in 50:10: “Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon his God.” We may look like sheep for the slaughter, but in God’s sight “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37). –Wiersbe Study Bible

We are not alone. We are never alone.  Let that sink in.  Think about it all day long and through the night.  No matter what, Our God is with us.

Lord,

Thank you for your Word that brings us back to who you are. Thank you for the refreshing manna for our souls. Thank you for the correction of our thinking with a commitment to think and behave more like you. I can’t be a better me, I don’t want to be a better me, I want to be just like you.  Help us all, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen