There's a particular verse from the Bible that Brandon, my husband, and I tell each other often in our home. God has used this one sentence to truly and radically carry us through some rocky trials. The opportunities for it's immediate application have been abundant, whether a financial loss, a long awaited call from our case worker, an update on a family member's health and that of our own also, and so on.
There's a tie that binds us all as people - hardships and struggles. Life is full of throat-punches, isn't it? Just when you think it's all too good to be true... man, you're right. Your car dies. Or you get that test score back. Or your roommate announces she is transferring. Or, maybe currently your life really is just great and you're happy, yet you almost expect something to hit the fan at any moment. We were made for perfection, but we are not perfect and neither is this world we live in, yet as disciples of Jesus, we long for the day when it will all be made right again. Until then, we struggle and we play, we rejoice and we mourn. Life is not one without the other; Life is a "both - and," not an "either - or" for any of us.
So, what's that verse I mentioned that is repeated in my home often?
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
Psalm 112:7
That's it. That little sentence is packed with solid ground to stand on in this both wonderful AND painful life we spend on earth. Let me break it down a bit to squeeze just a bit of the goods out of it. Here are a few brief observations and remarks on Psalm 112:7:
Who is the "He?"- In context, this psalm is describing a righteous man. The "he" here is a righteous man, which instantly disqualifies you and me. So how can we apply this verse? We are qualified as a righteous one if we have trusted in God's saving work through Jesus. According to Romans3:21, we have been given the righteousness of God because of Jesus' death and resurrection! So, the "he" can be 'she' or 'I' for the sake of application. If you know Jesus, you are a counted as a righteous woman.
"He will have no fear of bad news" - This does not read "he will have no bad news," rather that he/you/I can be without fear, and even experience peace in the face of bad news or in the waiting for potential hard news.
But how can this be?! How can I possibly not fear bad news? How could I not be afraid that the doctor's report, my final exam grade, my parents' divorce discussion, or my boyfriends' true feelings about me could actually be bad??
"his heart is steadfast" - The ESV says, "his heart is firm," and the NLT says, "confidently trusting." These all speak to a steady, unwavering, stillness to the righteous man. I imagine this person as being anchored and stable through life's storms, rather than mysteriously avoiding the waves and winds. This is a real person, with real stability and steadfastness amidst real difficult circumstances, harsh criticism, and painful relationships.
If you are like me, at this point, you are thinking, "well, if righteous wasn't disqualifying enough, then the attribute of steadfastness described here is!" But, hang with me just a bit longer. This next part is the meat and potatoes, or just the relief to the high standards of internal fortitude aforementioned. :)
"his heart is steadfast, trusting"- His/her heart is so stable in the face of bad news, only because he/she is trusting in the Lord. The righteous man is certainly not hoping in the outcome of the news, or his circumstances, or even his own personal strength or resilience. This not a form of self-help psychology! This steadfastness isn't so much about the person, as it is about the object of the person's trust. Your and my heart can actually, really, be steady and at peace if we place our hope in something other than our circumstances or ourselves, and more specifically in our hope in Someone.
"trusting in the Lord"- Yes, that Someone is He who is Himself the essence of steadfastness, He who never changes (James 1:17), He who made the world by the power of His word (Hebrews 11:3), He who knows every one of our days before one has come into being (Psalm 139:16), He who demonstrated His incredible love when He gave Himself up for us (Romans 8:32). We can anchor our souls to the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 6:19).
Our natural inclination as we await news or as we receive bad news is to fret, to be afraid. I encourage you to memorize this verse and repeat it to yourself in those moments, or better, declare it (even while still afraid) to a friend. Repeat. Get it down in your gut. Remind yourself why you can experience peace and on whom you are laying your cares. God is trustworthy - He is worthy of our trust. You can take that to the bank. Now go, and learn to be free from fearing the next "bad news" in your life.