How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
The wicked are not like this;
instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand up in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Psalm 1 (CSB)
When hard news comes, when difficulties happen, we can be tempted to think that if our life is a Farmer’s Market the stalls will now be empty. There will be only fragile leaves chased away by the wind. All the glory and color will be gone. But the reality is this: As long as we are joined to Jesus, there will be fruit in our lives — from the time we are sneaker-wearing teenagers to silver-haired senior citizens blowing out one hundred candles on the cake. In other words, there will always be miraculous things coming to and through us.
The fruit in our lives will thrive. That doesn’t mean nothing hard will ever happen or we’ll get everything we want. But it does mean that God’s plans for our lives are invincible when we stay connected to Him. Life’s droughts and storms can’t stop Him from bringing forth His miraculous work in and through us.
So let’s cling to God’s promises. Hold tight to His heart. Have strong roots that burrow deep into His affection for us. We will not falter. We will not fail. We will not lead a barren life at any age. Yes, we will be women of beauty, growth, and blessings as long as we live. Because we are trees planted by the river of God’s love, and it will never run dry.
This excerpt is written by Holley Gerth, published in the (in)courage Devotional Bible and in Summer (in) the Psalms: A 40-Day Devotional Journal.
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Leave a Comment
Beth Williams says
In Courage,
I am living proof that staying connected to Jesus is the one true way to live out your life. Having gone through some hard trials & storms didn’t stop God from doing a work in me. In fact the opposite is true. My faith & trust have grown immeasurably. Now when trials come I trust that God has something better in store for me. I am ready to worship & praise my God for ALL He’s done for me through the years. There is more beauty in this world & myself than I ever noticed before. My gratitude is such that I’m getting out of my comfort zone to make a video for virtual kickoff of Relay for Life & am the Recognition Chair. Cling tightly to Jesus through any trial or crisis. He will see you through it & you will definitely flourish.
Blessings 🙂