Psalm 119:16 You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. 

     Life is full of trials and difficulties by this we should not be shocked.  Scanning through Psalm 119 consider the list of trials and difficulties penned by the Psalmist.

     Princes plot against me… vs. 23; him who taunts me… vs. 42; my affliction … vs. 50; the insolent literally deride me… vs. 51; hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked… vs. 53; cords of the wicked ensnare … vs. 61; before I was afflicted I went astray … vs. 67;  the insolent smear me with lies… vs. 69; the insolent…have wronged me with falsehood… vs. 78; the insolent have dug pitfalls for me… vs. 85;  they have almost made an end of me on earth… vs. 87; the wicked lie in wait to destroy me… vs. 95; the wicked have laid a snare for me… vs. 110; trouble and anguish have found me out… vs. 143; many are my persecutors and my adversaries … vs. 157 (just a sampling)

     Even the Psalmist in Psalm 119, a psalm full of praise and adoration has revealed his heart, his struggle, his difficulty.  Yet he says, “You have dealt well with your servant…”

     Trials and difficulty are NOT a sign in our lives of God’s displeasure.  Let me say that again.  Trails and difficulty are NOT a sign in our lives of God’s displeasure.  Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that because the enemy would have us believe otherwise. 

     Can we join the Psalmist and say, “You have dealt well with me?”

     Let me add to that Psalm 16:6, “The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”

     Sister, if this is not the song of your heart today, will you pray and ask God to make it so?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick.  In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.