Tag Archives: lovingkindness

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — More Than Enough

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Our Daily Bread

Psalm 103:1-11

[The Lord] crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. —Psalm 103:4

When I entertained a large group in my home, I feared that the menu I planned wouldn’t be enough to serve all the guests. I shouldn’t have worried though. Several friends unexpectedly brought additional items and all of us were able to enjoy the surprise surplus. We had more than enough and were able to share out of the abundance.

We serve a God of abundance who is consistently “more than enough.” We can see God’s generous nature in the way He loves His children.

In Psalm 103, David lists the many benefits our Father bestows on us. Verse 4 says that He redeems our life from destruction and crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

The apostle Paul reminds us that God “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing” and “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 1:3; 3:20).

Because of His great love, we are called children of God (1 John 3:1), and His grace gives us “sufficiency in all things” that we “may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8).

God’s love and grace, spilled over into our lives, enables us to share them with others. The God of power and provision is always the God of “more than enough”! —Cindy Hess Kasper

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;

To His feet your tribute bring.

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,

Evermore His praises sing. —Lyte

We always have enough when God is our supply.

Bible in a year: Daniel 3-4; 1 John 5

 

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Overcoming Discouragement

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Psalm 42:5-11

Whenever you’re feeling down, the best place to turn is the Psalms. In today’s passage, the writer asks: “Why are you in despair, O my soul?” (v. 5). Surprisingly, this question is the first step in overcoming discouragement.

Look within. Before you can deal with your despair, you need to know what is causing it. If you’re not sure, ask the Lord to help you figure out what’s going on inside you.

Look up. The next step is to lift up your eyes to the Lord and place your hope in Him. Remember, discouragement comes to everybody at one time or another, but it doesn’t have to stay. In the course of time, you “shall again praise Him for the help of His presence” (v. 5).

Look back. Despair has a way of erasing our memory of all the good the Lord has done for us over the years. Instead of wallowing in our present misery, we must make an effort to remember His past care and provision. Then our faith will overpower discouragement (v. 6).

Look Ahead. Knowing that God’s plans for us are good, we can look forward to what He going to do in the future. His lovingkindness will support us by day and bring comfort by night as we trust Him to work all things out for our good (v. 8).

When your focus is right, you’ll respond correctly to discouragement. The key is to fix your eyes on the Lord. Circumstances may cause you to think He’s forgotten about you (v. 9), but His Word promises that He’s there and will bring you through the valley. Even if you feel lonely, you’re never alone.