How Can We Experience the Blessing of God in Such a Turbulent World?

Psalm 1:2-3: "Blessed is the man . . . . whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

How can a person experience the blessed contentment in life when life is filled with such uncertainty, upheaval, and disappointment? How can a person have a focused, positive perspective when he loses a loved one to death or is himself diagnosed with a irrecoverable malady or is betrayed by his spouse, etc.?

I believe that the answer is found within these verses above; specifically, we find that the blessed man "delights" in the law of the LORD. The word used in the original language for "delight" means "chief desire." This is a person who is consumed with the choice morsels of God's WORD; he wants to feast frequently on the edifying, encouraging Words of God, from which the Holy Spirit enlivens the spirit of the reader as he stops to ponder its truths. This soul is strengthened in knowing that God is Sovereign and is in control. This man is reassured that God is working His purposes for His glory, which is always best . . . even though he may be going through a great tribulation and can't seem to make sense of his ordeal.

This man is like the tree that produces wonderful fruit, no matter the circumstances around him, for he is connected to the nourishing water of the adjacent stream. To be sure, this tree can have a dry, despondent desert around him, and yet he seems to radiate a beauty of produce because he does not permit his circumstances to dictate who he becomes. His perseverance and contentment is quite distinct from all other "trees" that seem to capitulate to the difficulties around them. This too is the man who because he is able to shine for the LORD in the midst of tribulation, is able to be an inspiration to those dying around him . . . possibly being catalytic in leading others to the "Living Water" (i.e. Jesus Christ).

So too his fruit is produced "in season." This is a man who through the power of the Holy Spirit is able to demonstrate constancy and dependability, both in good and bad times. When the time comes, his fruit bursts forth in a glorious display of beauty. He does not start to wither on the vine when the perilous times come his way. He does not become angry at life, or God, and renounce his allegiance to the Lord because things aren't going his way or because he doesn't seem to get the breaks/blessings that he sees others getting.

This is such a good Word for us to hear. In the uncertainty of this life, which is filled with pitfalls and heartaches and struggles, we need to tap into the nourishing strength of Christ. We need to move ourselves close to His life-giving water and rely on Him, even though we travail under the most abysmal circumstances. This is the only way that we will endure and press on with our lives. To fail to tap into Christ is to shrivel up and die, for we will lose heart and give in to our difficulties.

Let us press on, being dependable fruit bearers through the power of Christ working within us. Let us soak up the Water of Life within our veins and be transformed from within so that we can stand firm to that which is found around us.