The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. (Psalms 11:4, ESV)
“William Mouw cards disastrous 13 from The American Express.” This is not a headline any professional golfer wants to read. Mouw, a PGA Tour Rookie, was slaughtered with ridicule on social media after his disastrous fate against the monster bunker on the 16th hole at PGA West in La Quinta, California.
Making a13 on one hole feels humiliating. A player can easily crumble from such a circumstance. But Mouw responded with an attitude that looked the adversity right in the face.
Mouw was quoted, “Golf is a lot like life, man. There’s adversity, and me as a player, as a student of the game, and as a person of life, it is not about dwelling on adversity. It’s how can you turn your adversity into positivity and use that fuel to get better and look at the bigger picture. And that’s something I did.”
Mouw showed up the next day and put that attitude to work. While he still missed the cut, he bounced back with a 5-under 67 at La Qunita Country Club the day after.
Adversity is always lurking around the corner. We don’t like it when life feels chaotic or shaken, but we do get to choose how we respond.
The author of Psalm 11 reminds us that God is unshakeable, sovereign, and holy in the face of adversity—The LORD is in his holy temple.
For the Israelites, the temple was a physical place for God’s presence. Regardless of chaotic circumstances in the world, God’s presence can never be threatened. As followers of Jesus, this presence resides within us. We can rest in the assurance that God is with us in our troubles.
The LORD’s throne in heaven emphasizes God’s eternal authority and sovereign power over all creation. God is not under earthly limitations. When adversity comes, we can choose to shift our perspective towards God. The adversity may not vanish, but God’s love and care for us can walk us through our fears.
His eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. Here the Psalmist paints a picture that God is aware of everything happening on earth, including the deeds of the wicked. He examines our hearts and actions so that we can mature and be drawn closer to him.
I encourage you to read the entirety of Psalm 11 today. May it encourage you in the face of adversity to seek God’s presence, to honor his sovereignty, and to trust that he sees you.
Prayer: Lord Father, adversity is all around me. Help me to trust your presence to guide me forward.