More often than not, when we find ourselves in the midst of hardship, adversity, trouble, or heartbreak, our thoughts and emotions become dominated by feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, annoyance, fear, and a sense of being overwhelmed. There will be seasons of difficulty and problems for all of us who live on fallen planet Earth. Yet we need not fear these times because, as we turn to the Lord, our struggles will take us to a larger place. Thus King David stated that in the day of his calamity, “the Lord was my stay.” In other words, David said that in the middle of the mess, the Lord was his break, his getaway, a place to stay for a time and find release, relief, and rest. In God’s presence, David poured out his overwhelmed heart and received help, hope, faith, joy, and love, therefore transporting himself to a bigger spiritual place than he had known before. So, let’s not waste our troubles, but let us use them as a catalyst to turn toward the living Lord as our stay. Then He will bring us to a larger place of spiritual maturity and intimacy with Him that will surpass our greatest expectations!

“They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth into a larger place” (2Samuel 22:19-20a).