“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Psalms 86:15

Life can throw some pretty tough blows. Some of them we see coming. But even then, we are not fully prepared for the punch our gut will take. Others blindside us and we find ourselves shaken to our core or knocked right off our feet.

In the moments of tough blows our faithfulness or lack of will be on full display. It is in our times of heartache, trials, sorrows and loss that will demonstrate where our loyalties lie. Is God our rock and refuge? Do we seek shelter in His arms? Do we stand on His sureness, reliability and stability? Are we faithful to Him?

What is our response to the people who hurt us or the situation that leaves us deflated?

Paraphrased from the Message this verse says God is “both tender and kind, not easily angered, immense in love” and God “never, never quits”.

Anger is a byproduct of hurt. Are we easily angered when someone hurts us? Do we harden our hearts or become inconsiderate or thoughtless when tough situations come our way?

I don’t know what life has thrown your way. I don’t know your exact hurt. I do know that you and I have a God who is compassionate for us and for those who have hurt us. He showers us with grace for the times we have hurt Him and has filled us with His grace to shower on those who have hurt us. Our God is immense and abounding in love and will give us the ability to love like Him, if we only ask and allow.

In the agony of affliction, the heartache of hurt, or the sorrow of suffering, compassion, grace and love may not be what we want to feel or demonstrate. The anger, hardened hearts, and cold shoulder are false comforts from the hurt we feel.

God knows our hurt. He sees our pain and sufferings. He is compassionate and gracious. We can attempt to run or hide from our situation, the people who have hurt us and even God.

But He will relentlessly pursue us to comfort us in our time of need.

God has never quit on us. Let’s not quit either.

God is faithful. Always. Even when we are not. He is always sure. Always reliable. Always stable. Those are truths we can hold on to.

We may know and believe these truths, but in the midst of the mess it’s sometimes hard to anchor ourselves in what we know to be true.

So, let us choose to respond to God’s Truths rather than react to our emotions. God is faithful. Let us be faithful to stand upon His sureness, reliability and stability. When we do, life’s blows may shake us but they won’t knock us down.