A Divine Distraction

"Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight." Psalm 119:143

This verse gave me a great laugh this morning. God sure knows my heart and knows when I need to see certain verses. This would be just one of those days. Ever have one of those days where family is just so exasperating? Extended family I should say, it's difficult for a 3 year old to be this exasperating. Yet this verse this morning completely gives the answer to the difficult problems. The verse begins with "trouble and distress have come upon me." Think about trouble and distress. That can be different things to different people. Trouble and distress could be a physical problem, or a financial problem, or maybe a relational problem. And you know how when you have a problem you're consumed by it? You dwell on it, you don't stop thinking about it, and it becomes an even bigger problem because it is a distraction for you.

The solution is the next part of the verse. "Your commands are my delight." Thinking on God instead of the problems is a great distraction don't you think? And what are God's commands? Well, this is what comes to mind this morning:

"Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

And this one:

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

Notice they all center on love. Love God, love your neighbors, and love each other. All things are possible with love, and all problems can be fixed with love in one way or another. So it is true, when Psalm 119:134 says that "your commands are my delight" because not only are they the answer to the problem, but they also provide a wonderful distraction. Spending time dwelling on God's love and love for each other is sure to provide you with just the distraction you need to get some relief from the exasperating problem. Thank God for his divine distractions.