I woke up this morning with the usual pounding in my head, arm and leg weakness, and fatigue. I lay in bed for a few minutes, fighting to keep my eyes open, before grabbing my phone and
opening my notes app, where I have a collection of quotes and Bible verses. Though my eyes were heavy, my body begging me to go back to sleep, I found the one I was looking for. I had
copied it down from The Lion Vrie, a novel I’d been reading through.
“Aye, He will indeed be faithful.”
As I meditated on this at eight o’clock in the morning, my body still urging me to turn over and go back to sleep, I was filled with hope. Indeed, God will be faithful. Faithful to sustain us in our work, whatever it may be. Faithful to help us through any hard thing that may come our way, forcing it to work for our good, and ultimately, for His glory. Faithful to bring the sun to rise again after the night, and faithful to provide renewed mercies every morning. Faithful to forgive. Faithful to bring us through the darkest times of our lives.
And when I lie there in bed, wondering how I will make it through the day, already exhausted and hurting, I feel His strength once more. So, slowly, I am learning to not worry about how the resources will come, how the strength will come, and how the joy will come to face it all again the next day. I will not feel tomorrow’s mercies the night before. Not the week before. Not a month before. Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
Friends, as we enter into another year where suffering may feel like our only company, let us take courage and continue to press forwards in hope. In hope that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life (2 Corinthians 5:4b ESV), and we will never perish, and no one will snatch us out of His hand (John 10:28 ESV). We will always be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV).
We don’t know what lies around the bend in 2023, but we know that the best does. God has promised that He will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11b ESV). He will withhold no good thing that will serve us for our eternal good and bring glory to Him. In the end, the best does wait for us. But what we’re asked to carry now is also best. What a privilege to carry our thorns. What a privilege to be vessels of mercy to whom He has made known the riches of His glory (Romans 9:23 ESV). You are safe within the palm of His hand.
The sovereign, all-powerful, all-sustaining, merciful and kind Lord of the Universe holds you. With confidence, let us press forwards into the new year with the hope that, Aye, He will indeed be faithful.
Addy Smith
Guest Writer