Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

(lyrics from "Blessed Be Your Name" by Tree 63)

A lot of people say they love God until their lives are turned upside down. Then they start to wonder where God is and if He really cares about them. Sometimes they get angry with God for letting terrible things happen and for holding back the blessings they long for. When life is good we praise God, but when life is difficult they quarrel with Him. "My God, why have you forsaken me?" they cry. They may even start to doubt whether God is the good and loving being they believe Him to be. Sometimes I am one of those people.

Yet, when things go wrong and our relationship with God becomes strained, is it really God who's the problem? Did God ever promise us that nothing painful would ever happen to us? No. What He promised is that He would take care of us and bring us through all tribulation into the promised land. So why is our trust in God so threatened when the road gets a little bumpy? Do we not trust Him to keep His promise? Do we expect God to cut and run as some of our human friends might? Do we suspect God of having ulterior motives other than our welfare as so many of our human leaders do? We must remember that God is God. He is not corruptible like people, and He does not place the same importance on the events in our lives as we do. Some things that seem all-encompassing to us are only tiny blips to God. He knows that we will get through these transitory troubles, and He's focused on the long-term health of our eternal souls. God is committed to making sure we make it through, so we need to trust Him.

We are lucky to have a relationship with our benevolent creator. Whether times are good or bad, God is with us, and that's an incredible thing. God loves us and is poised to ultimately rescue us from whatever trouble may befall us. So whether we are in peace or turbulence, our help is in the name of the Lord. I can think of nothing more wonderful than that. 

Blessed be God when I am happy, and blessed be God when I am suffering. He is the same God no matter what happens in this transitory world, and His promises to me don't change. Instead of wallowing in my hardships, I must remember how lucky I am to have God with me. Because of Him, these trials can't do me lasting harm. They may even teach me how to appreciate God more.