“The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life…” Psalm 121:7
Exhaustion is a form of harm, isn’t it? It certainly tends to carry with it physical harm, like headaches. And emotional harm, since we struggle more with patience, peace and joy when we’re tired. Also, relational harm sometimes because it’s hard to be thoughtful, kind, or even just to connect with others when we’re worn out. Plus, exhaustion is often the result of harm – illness, anxiety, etc.
How can God’s Word say He will keep us from all harm?
It’s not like the Israelites first singing this Psalm experienced life without harm either. They’d faced extreme harm like slavery, years of war, displacement – and the more ordinary trials of life, too.
But they could trust the Lord would keep them from harm because they knew two truths:
- The worst harm that can happen would never happen to them. He promised never to leave them or forsake them.
- God ultimately works good out of all the bad we experience. He promised them hope, a future, and a Savior who would redeem them, and no hardship in the meantime would thwart His plan.
Those promises stand, and the truth remains. Because of Jesus, we can say like the Apostle Paul did before he was martyred that we will be “delivered safely into His kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18). The Lord keeps us from the totality of harm. Whatever difficulties we do face, we know the Lord remains steadfast and will turn them into eternal glory someday.
Have you ever seen God work out of a circumstance that wasn’t good?
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