If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
Psalm 119:92

The psalmist says that at times in his life, the trials have been so difficult, the pain so great, that he would not have survived if it had not been for God’s Word. He says that he would not have made it. He would have shriveled up and died, spiritually and emotionally and perhaps even physically – if it had not been for the Word of God.

Let me ask you: Do you understand what he’s saying? Have you experienced what the psalmist experienced? Does this ring true in your life?

It does for me. There have been times of my life that were so difficult, so overwhelming, so scary, that I would not have survived if it had not been for God’s Word. Certainly, this is true for times of deep anguish with a mental disorder, OCD. But there have been other dark times, health crises for children and grandchildren, challenging seasons of marriage, periods in my ministry when I felt like a failure, times of unrelenting financial pressure.

In all of these times, the Bible has been a rock in my life. It has been a foundation to stand upon. It has been a source of endless comfort and peace and rest. Where would I be without it? I don’t know that I would have survived.

It’s not that there was a simple answer to the problem or a spiritual jolt each day. Rather, when you meet God in the Scriptures, day in and day out, over a long period of time, something happens inside you. You feel an increasing connection and closeness to God, a bond that will not break. You find yourself changing. There is a strength and peace within you. You breathe the breath of God. You have a rock to stand on. There is a solid foundation for life. God gives you all of this through his Word.

Begin today. Meet God in the pages of Scripture every day. You need it.