Troubles Fly Away!

Troubles Fly Away!

Psalm 55:6-8TPT

Rick Warren quote: God’s purpose is greater than your problem.

Every trial is a teacher. Every storm is a school. Every experience is an education. Every difficulty is for your development.

Gods greater!

Psalm 55, describes a time of some kind of rebellion or power struggle against David, and a key leader in the struggle was a trusted associate who betrayed David. The city is dangerous because of the rebellion, and David cries out to God. Most commentators fit this psalm to Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15-18) and the trusted associate as Ahithophel.

Psalm 55:6-8TPT I say to myself, “If only I could fly away from all of this! If only I could run away to the place of rest and peace. 7I would run far away where no one could find me, escaping to a wilderness retreat.” Pause in his presence

8 I will hurry off to hide in the higher place,

into my shelter, safe from this raging storm and tempest.

Have you ever wanted to fly away? Verse 6, “If only I could run away to the place of rest and peace.”

Derek Kidner-2008 was a British Old Testament scholar, best known for writing commentaries. “It is some comfort to us to know that there are spiritual giants who have had this urge, whether they have succumbed to it like Elijah (1 Kings 19:3ff.) or withstood it like Jeremiah (Jeremiah 9:2; 10:19).”

Again, Psalm 55:7AMP “I would wander far away, I would lodge in the [peace of the] wilderness. Selah.

You might not believe it, but it’s in the wilderness whereby you grow. PH

A lesson from nature reveals what happens when we walk away from our struggle.

Crabs are creatures that live in a rough, dangerous environment among jagged rocks. Daily, they are dashed about by waves and attacked on every side by creatures from deeper waters. They battle continually to protect themselves, and overtime they develop a strong shell and powerful for survival.

Amazingly, some in the Crabb family, known as hermit crabs, give up the struggle. Searching for a safe haven, they take up residence in the cast off shell of other ocean creatures. They retreat from the battle and escape into secondhand houses that are ready-made.

Yet hermit crabs’, “safe houses” prove to be costly and ruinous.

Through their lack of struggle, critical parts of their bodies, deteriorate.

Overtime hermit crabs lose all power of motion; their limbs simply fall off. Leaving them out of danger but useless to do anything except exist.

Meanwhile, crabs that continue the struggle flourish. Their five pairs of legs become meaty and strong from resisting the powerful tides. They learn to hide from predators by scurrying under rock formations.

Sometimes I’m like a struggling crab, but I’ll make it, because God is my shelter.

Psalm 55:7MSG Get me out of here on dove wings; I want some peace and quiet. I want a walk in the country, I want a cabin in the woods.

As believers, we get tossed and pounded by wave after wave of difficulties.

However as we fight on, holding firm to our faith, we grow stronger!

Jesus states in, John 16:33AMP I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

Trouble is a part of life. The question is not if you will have difficulties. -The question is how will you respond to them?

Here’s some Holy Spirit information: Your response reveals your emotional and spiritual maturity!

Few people have faced the difficulties the apostle Paul experienced. Here's what he said about his troubles.

2 Corinthians 11:21-28MSG 21-23 Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I’m their match. Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can’t believe I’m saying these things. It’s crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I’m going to finish.)

23-27 I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door time after time. I’ve been flogged five times with the Jews’ thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I’ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I’ve known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. 28 And that’s not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches.