| NASB | NLT | VOICE |
| 7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him. | 7 The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. | 7 The Eternal One is good, a safe shelter in times of trouble. He cares for those who search for protection in Him. |
The goodness of God is a foundational characteristic of understanding who God is. This is seen through His creation and how He interacts with humanity. With Nahum, his audience is facing the judgment that was given to Nineveh. God’s goodness can be a source of comfort and assurance for believers. God’s goodness is described as a stronghold – a place of protection and security. A stronghold was a fortified place offering refuge from enemies. His goodness will protect us from times of trouble and adversity. Why does God do this? Because He cares for those that trust Him. The care that God gives connects to a deep, intimate relationship with us. Trusting God encourages us to believe everything we are in God. It’s not a passive activity, but a daily reliance on God’s character and promises. Again, God’s care for us gives us comfort and encouragement.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How can you trust in God’s promises and goodness in times of conflict and stress?
Use the times of stress as moments to deepen your relationship with God. God’s strength can help us through all the tough moments of our lives. For me, God’s strength has been proven in moments when I am not focused on my stress. I can give my stressors over to God, knowing that His victory and justice will prevail over time. God’s justice will show through slow, hidden, and communal processes. We can trust that God is at work even when the outcomes are delayed or painful. God’s strength gives me the chance to trust in Him with the source of the stress and allow me to focus on the path forward. To do what I need to do to survive and press through in what He has called me to do.
God’s provision is harder to recognize in moments of conflict, but I’ve often found it through the people He has surrounded me with. People that are often more upset and frustrated over my stress than I am. It showed me who has genuine care for me and wants to see the best for me. It shows me that I am not alone in my battles. That God has gifted me resources, people, and love more than I can ever recognize. I find security when I release my stressors to God directly. He sustains me from the dangers of the world and allows me to match foward with my head held high, knowing that I will get to the other side through His care, strength, and guidance.
REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What is one way you can begin to lean on God in times of stress?
Praise God for His provision. He gives us everything we need to survive every day. God provides what we need to endure each day, even when the hardships themselves are not of His making.
Read Proverbs 3:5-6
Ask God how to make His ways our priority. We need to often remove ourselves out of the way and allow His ways to come into our hearts and minds so that we can lead with God’s guidance and strength.
You are worthy of His gifts. You are worthy of His provisions. The world may have knocked you down, but God is there to pick you right back up.
Next slice of manna: Trusting God in Times of Despair || Psalm 42:11 || Manna for the Mind #346
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