When I began having some serious problems with my hands, the first thing I did was to turn to the Lord in prayer, and to ask for His wisdom in the matter. He led me to stand on His promises for healing, and at the same time, to see a doctor for the intense pain I was experiencing. After some medical tests, my doctor confirmed that I was suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I knew in my heart that no matter what the diagnosis would be, I would continue to stand on God’s promises for my deliverance, and I would trust that the Lord was in control. In a quiet moment of reflection, I heard Him speak to my heart, “I will perfect that which concerns you.”

I was already well acquainted with this promise, because it had brought me great encouragement many times in the past. It comes from Psalm 138, where David declares, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” (v. 8) In the face of apparent defeat, the shepherd-king declares his victory, believing that it is God’s purpose that will prevail. In this context, the word “perfect” means “to finish or complete so as to leave nothing wanting.” David was in effect saying, “I know that the odds are stacked against me, but my God will have the last word!”

When we are in a difficult situation, and we want the Lord to “perfect” that which concerns us, we must focus on two important things. First, it is essential that we focus on God’s sovereignty. That means we believe that, no matter what our five senses tell us, God is ultimately in control, and we are in His hands. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have a part to play in our outcome – we do. Our job is to promptly take our concerns to the Lord in prayer, and to trust Him for the answer, knowing that He can, and will, overrule human plans and policies, if necessary.

I confess that it frustrates me when I hear believers say – “Well, I do trust God, but I don’t trust the people involved.” They haven’t gotten the revelation that as we put our trust in the Lord, He will influence the attitudes, actions, and abilities of others. Those believers who don’t put their faith in this truth – and act accordingly – will lose out on God’s best in their situation. When I am in a tight spot, I like to declare – “Thank You, Lord, that nothing’s impossible with You, nothing’s too difficult for You, and nothing can hinder You!” (Luke 1:37 NIV; Jeremiah 32:27 NASB; 1 Samuel 14:6 NLT) By doing this, I am inviting God’s miracle-working power on the scene.

Besides focusing on God’s sovereignty, we must focus on His supernatural promises. If we will ask the Lord to lead us to the promises He wants us to claim in our situation, He will show us a verse in Scripture, and it will seem to leap off the page and into our hearts. What is real faith? It is the conviction that God will always do what He promises to do, regardless of the circumstances.

When Moses and the children of Israel were facing what looked like impossible circumstances, and even Moses’ faith was faltering, the Lord admonished him by saying: “Is the Lord’s power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.” (Numbers 11:23 NASB) In truth, God’s power is not limited; but we can put limits on His involvement in our lives by a lack of faith. Those who take the limits off God by claiming His promises with abandon will witness Him working mightily on their behalf. This is what Abraham did, and look how Scripture praises his faith: “He didn't tiptoe around God’s promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what He had said.” (Romans 4:20-21 MSG)

Today, the Lord wants to “perfect that which concerns” you. Put yourself in a position for Him to do that by cooperating with Him in the process. Then watch His perfecting power go to work!

Prayer: Lord, today I commit to You all of my concerns, and I ask that You perfect them on my behalf. Deliver me from all of my doubts and fears, and replace them with a firm faith and trust in You and Your Word. Thank You that as I cooperate with You for my victory in every situation, I will draw others to You and Your truth!