Wednesday in the Word: Vindication

I’m sitting back on the couch for the first time all day, figure skating running on the TV in the background, and heart overwhelmed. The last several days have been…much. I’ve spent time in prayer, time in the Word, and yet I feel absolutely inadequate to bring you any kind of wisdom today. Do I even grasp what I’m reading as I study? Sometimes, in the fog of these current days, I’m not sure.

                Nevertheless, I sat down to try to learn a new little nugget about Psalm 37, moving on to verse 6. Last week we learned about committing our way to the Lord and rolling our burdens onto Him for His care of them. Mine almost feel too heavy to roll, but I’m sure trying.

                The next words I read are these: He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

                As I studied, one of the commentaries said this, “If you are slandered and your character is assailed, if you commit the case to God, He will protect your character and the motives of your conduct as the sun without a cloud.”

                I’ve felt it before…haven’t you? I’ve caught wind of something said about me that was hurtful and not true – but it felt so easy for others to believe the words. And what can you do? Do you fight? Do you hope truth from your mouth prevails over lies from someone else? Do you sit and hope it goes away? Hope something else more interesting captures people’s attention and they forget?

                It’s so hard.

                But it happened to Jesus, too, you know. The leaders who were bent on destroying him said all sorts of things that weren’t true. They lied. They manipulated. They fabricated. And people believed their loud lies.

                Jesus trusted God to sort all of it out. He didn’t jump up in protest. Truth would prevail, and He would let it.

                Trusting God to care for things when I want to take matters into my own hands is not an easy thing. Letting Him be in charge of vindication is hard when we want to be immediately absolved.

                So tonight, I am doing my best to pry my grip loose from anything that isn’t mine to work out. I’m doing my best to allow God to bring forth what He will…when He will.

                Thanks for reading along today. Perhaps next week will feel smoother in the learning category!