His Encouragement #197

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

Psalm 37:16-17 (ESV)

In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul states: “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

I love these verses in Philippians. I am reminded of them when I read Psalm 37:16-17. In this segment of Psalm 37 we are told that it is better to have little and be righteous than to live in abundance and be wicked. We need to be content with what we have BECAUSE God should be our center. If God is our center it really doesn’t matter how much we have because with God we have everything.

God sees our hearts. In 1 Samuel 16 we are told: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'” Seeing our hearts means that God knows how we truly feel about everything. It’s super easy to say the right things, but only God knows if we mean them. And He knows our true selves based on how we act in public and in private when we don’t think anyone can see or hear. So God knows if we are content for real. He knows if we are righteous for real. We can’t fake anything with Him.

So, just be content. Cause it’s a way better deal to be upheld by God because you are content (and righteous) than to have every luxury you could ever dream of and be wicked. According to Psalm 37, it doesn’t work out too well for those deemed wicked. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be broken.

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?