Nahum 1:7 New King James Version
7 The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble;
And He knows those who trust in Him.
This is the question that we face when things have not gone our way. When we find ourselves steep in a dilemma that life has sprung on us unawares. Where do we go? Who do I trust to get me through for the most beneficial outcome?
I have traversed eight decades of life and the troubles of life never cease to challenge me. It’s always a range of things from the simple to the complex, from the familiar to the unknown. My book, Solomon’s Recipe, provides a tried-and-true solution that has brought me through countless challenges. The recipe begins with the requirement for trusting in the Lord. Not just any trust, but genuine authentic trust. The trust that is most difficult to achieve and even more difficult to maintain.
As I continue my journey, I am acutely aware of new and innovative ways to maintain the trust in the Lord that I have embraced for years and hopefully for years to come. The passage from Nahum is one of those touch stones that provide encouragement to deepen and maintain my trust in the Lord.
This passage begins with the most important perspective one must possess if there can be any meaningful measure of trust in the Lord. That is the conviction that God is good. This is a firm foundation on establishing a truly valid trust in the Lord.
Galatians 5:22-23 New King James Version
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The goodness of God is fundamental to His Spirit. The challenge for us is to see it and believe it. One might say that is so easy. No it isn’t, not when we are faced with the biggest challenges. The thoughts come fast and furious: “Why would God allow this to beset me? What shall I do now? Where do I turn?
If we truly believe and know from experience that God is genuinely and forever good, then we can fix our trust on that. As soon as we can set the fact that God is good, we can then move on to the next step, see Him as a stronghold in our time of trouble. This is a key stage in navigating positively the trouble life continually join us in our life’s travel. He is meant to be our strong refuge, our potent advocate, yes, our Savior!
Now we come to a most powerful truth, He knows those who trust in Him! Imagine the inspiring strength that gives us when we can appreciate that He knows ME! I am not alone! He knows me and my situation. And there is no situation that He can’t handle for me. Wow! Who knew that trust in Him could have such profound power? But it does! And it’s really all we need when the challenges seek to overwhelm us.
TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART!
As I am want to do, I always explore additional versions of a profound bible passage. Here are a couple for you to consider and see if new feelings course through your soul, heart and mind.
Nahum 1:7 New Living Translation
7 The Lord is good,
a strong refuge when trouble comes.
He is close to those who trust in him.
Nahum 1:7 Amplified Bible
7 The Lord is good,
A strength and stronghold in the day of trouble;
He knows [He recognizes, cares for, and understands fully] those who take refuge and trust in Him.
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TURNING POINTS
This bible passage and the sermon on Sunday July 2nd that opened new vistas on the concept of “trusting God”, I found it very comforting to realize that God knows those who trust Him. God knows me. I hope others will see the value of trusting God genuinely and experiencing the expansion of its value.