by Don Ruhl

Read Psalms 107-109

Watch the people around you in the world, and you will see most of them experiencing verses 10 and 12 of Psalm 107, because they are guilty of what verse 11 reveals.

10Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons-- 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, 12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. (Psalm 107:10-12, NKJV).

Do not picture these things as necessarily literal, but as matters of the soul. Their souls are in darkness, bound in affliction and irons, which brings down their hearts with heavy burdens. Therefore, they feel the darkness and shadow of death enclosing them. Why do they experience these things? Verse 11 is explicit. They have rebelled against the words of God, despising the counsel that He gives.

If we reject what the Great Counselor says, who is also the Giver of life and light; of course, we are going to be miserable. God's word is life. Therefore, without his word guiding us, we are living in death. However, you are seeking to live the words of God with all your might. Continue to do so, because these other people are watching you to see how you deal with the difficulties of life. Show compassion to them rather than disdain, remembering that we also once were living as they are, but someone showed us the grace of God and we turned to Jesus Christ.