Nolan Oakes Ministries

In Psalm 51, David is earnestly asking God to do something which he cannot do for himself. I believe that the wisdom in these words also points us towards the correct heart posture when dealing with circumstances beyond our control. If we wrestle to let go and trust that the work being done in our heart is beyond our participation, then we will also wrestle in the same way in other areas of our lives. Giving God that which I cannot control starts here, in my heart. You must do this FOR me, God.

Job 10:11-12

You clothed me with skin and flesh,
and knit me together with bones and sinews.
You have granted me life and steadfast love,
and your care has preserved my spirit.

Notice two particular words that make all the difference; “granted” and “preserved”.

Psalm 54:4 says, “the Lord is the upholder (or NLT says sustainer) of my life.”

If you don’t have to think about it, or try to make happen, it’s not something that you are in control of. That means that when the sun rises, when the Earth rotates creating the seasons, when you sleep, when you wake up, every time you breathe, even your heartbeat proclaims the power and majesty of the One who made you and knows you.

YOU matter. YOU are a walking miracle.

When we choose to see God as only the giver of all good things, and not as sovereign over all circumstances, we reduce His omnipotence. A healthy view of God always begins and ends in Scripture, not in ourselves or our circumstances.

“It is simply unwise to assume - as some do, unthinkingly - that we have a shepherd who leads us to peace and tranquility but has no say over how sheep come to find themselves in a threatening gorge. No, the valley of the shadow of death, the days of deep darkness, do not mean we have left the paths of righteousness; in fact, they are where the shepherd’s paths of righteousness are sometimes located. This is how He leads.”
David Gibson - The Lord of Psalm 23

In some ways this is difficult theology. It means that God stands behind everything that we experience in our lives. The good, the bad, and the ugly. So how can we grapple with it? Here are two thoughts that have helped me:

1. This wasn’t God’s original plan - we can thank ourselves for the deviation. Sin has disrupted the intended order of this world, and the suffering we experience is a direct result.
(Genesis chapters 1-3)

2. If God was not in control of the situation in the “valley of the shadow of death”, then it would bring no comfort to know that “He is with me”.
(Psalm 23:4 ESV)

There are many places we could look in Scripture for encouragement, but If you are wrestling with God’s goodness in the midst of difficult circumstances in your life, may I encourage you to read Habakkuk? The story of a prophet who simply could not understand how God could allow such calamity, and He pleads with God about it. At one point in my life, this was my favorite passage of Scripture. I had it printed out and stuck to my mirror to read every morning. Why? Because it reminded me that my faith can never be built on how things are going for me or the circumstances I see around me. My Faith is rooted in who He is. His sovereignty is comforting to me, as it was to Habakkuk and David.

Habakkuk Rejoices in the LORD

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV

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Nolan Oakes (@nolanoakesministries) on Threads Sharing encouragement and Biblical truths. 0 Followers.

I absolutely loved this book! David Gibson is so genuine in his approach to the Psalm, you can tell it is written by a Pastor who cares deeply for his flock. His deep dive into this sometimes overly familiar Psalm left me feeling comforted every time I finished reading one of the chapters. He refers to Psalm 23 as a “little Bible that takes us straight through the whole story of redemption in an elevated, majestic, and also personal, intimate way”, and after reading his book, I have to agree with him! I can’t recommend it enough. Not only did it teach me more about Psalm 23, but it taught me more about what it means to meditate on Scripture, sitting longer with each word or phrase before simply moving on to the next thing.