Everything from the Lord is Good

16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
² I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

³ As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.^[b]

⁴ The sorrows of those who run after^[c] another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

⁵ The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.^[d]
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being^[e] rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.^[f]

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

This Psalm is a great one to meditate on. It makes me see how that when even things don't make sense, what the Lord commands us is always in our best interest.

It reminds me of an experience I had as a child. We were at the beach and I was probably 7 or 8 years old. My dad told us we were going to swim out to the sand bar. As my dad, brother, some friends, and I drifted further and further out it began to hit me that there are some dangers in what we are doing. First of all, I couldn't touch and didn't trust my swimming skills all that much. Secondly, in my mind this was the area where the giant sharks liked to snack on little kids. Despite all these fears, I looked to my dad and he could touch and I knew he had me. He didn't seem worried about the sharks at all and in my eyes my dad was strong enough to protect me anyway. Ultimately, despite me fearing the decision that had been made, I knew it was okay because I trusted my dad. He loved me so much that I knew he wouldn't tell me to do anything if he thought I was in any sort of danger.

Well let me tell you something you already know. Your Heavenly Father desires nothing more than for you to dwell with Him for eternity. Why you ask? Because you are a child of God. You think parents sacrifice a lot of things for their children? God gave up His only Son for His children! Are you afraid of evil? Evil cannot even be in the presence of your God. Are you afraid of Satan? Satan and his demons cower and flee even at the mention of His name. That is the authority your God has. So quit doubting Him every single time one of your comforts gets upended. I understand that some things in life are hard to understand and can be very difficult. But He is to be our refuge. How badly does the Father want to comfort their children in time of need. And you need Him badly. So run to Him and trust Him. It may not make sense to you all the time, but it will definitely be the best decision you could ever make. Commit to no matter what happens in life you are going to stand for Christ, and I assure you that despite many hardships that peace, joy, grace, and love will flow abundantly. Spend some time reading the words of this Psalm and just praise what a mighty God we serve.