Remember the word to Your servant,
In which You have made me hope.
⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me, (119:49-50).

Yesterday was a day of anticipation, waiting to hear news about an urgent prayer request. I asked the Lord, “Why?” and then asked Him if He minded that I asked. Nothing was making sense, and the answer was not what we hoped for; and the feelings that rushed in threatened to drown my soul… defeated, deflated, discouraged, despondent, despairing. Feelings fueled by my own thoughts, feelings inflamed by the enemy of my soul. And as I journaled all that I was wrestling with, the next words spilled onto the paper in concert with my tears, “Lord, please, don’t let me give up hope.” I knew I needed an infusion of His reviving Hope to Comfort my aching heart.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, (Roman 15:13).

And truthfully, is there anything we need more today than Hope and Comfort? And the truth is, His Hope and Comfort are ours for the taking, ours for the receiving, provided generously for us in His Word. Oh His precious Word.

When life events scream hopelessness, when afflictions abound, we can find everything we need in the Hope and Comfort of His Word. Some form of the word, affliction, is repeated four times in our forty verses today. And I found myself camping out there. I invite you to pitch your tent with me as we view afflictions through the prism of the Hope and Comfort of His Word.

Consider the Hope and Comfort of His Word

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart, (Hebrews 4:12).

Because His Word is living and active, His Word is more than able to judge and discern our faulty thought patterns, and redirect us into the Hope and Comfort of His Word. And that is absolutely liberating.

And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts, (119:45).

Afflictions are not always from the enemy, nor are they always the consequences of our own choices. Sometimes, afflictions are designed by our Sovereign, Loving God; and if we are honest, that can be a bitter pill to swallow. But whatever the source of our affliction, we need His living and active Word to judge and discern our thoughts and intentions to be able to walk through every trial in liberating faith.

And our Faithful Father has provided all we need…

• …to be revived in the Hope and Comfort of His Word.
  • This is my comfort in my affliction,
    That Your word has revived me, (119:50).

• …to be disciplined by the Hope and Comfort of His Word.
  • Before I was afflicted I went astray,
    But now I keep Your word, (119:67).

• …to be taught the Hope and Comfort of His Word.
  • It is good for me that I was afflicted,
    That I may learn Your statutes, (119:71).

• …to discern His righteousness and faithfulness communicated in the Hope and Comfort of His Word.
  •  I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous,
    And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me, (119:75).

• … .to trust and rest in His lovingkindness revealed in the Hope and Comfort of His Word
  • O may Your lovingkindness comfort me,
    According to Your word to Your servant, (119:76).

How do we respond to the Hope and Comfort of His Word?

Let’s begin with a little self-examination…

Where is the first place we turn in our afflictions? Friends? Food? TV? Social Media? Substance? Or do we so delight in His commandments, and so love His Word, that He is the first place we run to for Hope and Comfort?

 I shall delight in Your commandments,
Which I love, (119:47).

All of us will struggle and fail in this area at times, but we can pray and ask the Lord to strengthen our faith and our love for His Word.

• Lord, please strengthen us to turn to the Hope and Comfort of Your Word whenever we are afflicted.
  • Remember the word to Your servant,
    In which You have made me hope, (119:49).

• Lord, please teach us to hide Your promises in our hearts, and to engage in our own soul talk that we would continually remind ourselves of the Hope and Comfort of Your Word.
  • I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O Lord,
    And comfort myself, (119:52).

• Lord, please train us to always be mindful that we are citizens of Your kingdom and not of this world. Lord, please strengthen us to fix our thoughts on the Hope and Comfort of Your Word that our hearts may be filled with songs of Your praise as we walk through our journey in life.
  • Your statutes are my songs
    In the house of my pilgrimage, (119:54).

Lord, You are all we need, and You have provided all we need in the Hope and Comfort of Your Word. Lord, please empower us through Your Holy Spirit to keep Your Word close in our hearts and committed to obedience, that we may walk in the Hope and Comfort of Your Word.

The Lord is my portion;
I have promised to keep Your words, (119:57).

Let’s Grow Together!