The thing I love about the psalms that David wrote is that we can relate to them. When I read what he’s written, I’m like, “I get you, bro.” For me, it’s refreshing and encouraging that this former shepherd boy turned King of Israel had real life struggles, and that he felt as though he could ask honest questions and have honest dialogue with God.
“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’ lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.” (Psalm 13:1-4)
Maybe you’ve had questions and conversations like that with God; I know I have.
What’s even more encouraging, though, is David’s trust in God, even when life didn’t make sense. Even in his honest questioning, David would come back to the truth about God. His feelings didn’t inform his faith, but rather his faith was the guardrails for his feelings.
“But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:5-6)
Even in David’s difficult and raw moments of his life, he came back to this truth: God’s love is steadfast. Regardless of how long we have to wait, or endure suffering, or in the times we feel forgotten as though God has hidden His face from us, the truth is God is very near. His love is steadfast. That kind of love never leaves, because God never leaves. Rather than letting his emotions get the best of him, David rehearsed the gospel to himself. He could rejoice because no matter how he felt, he knew that God’s salvation was certain and that His grace was more than sufficient.
So here’s the takeaway for me: In those moments where I feel forgotten by God, or wonder how long I have to endure the difficulties of life that stir my emotions, I can trust and rest in the truth of knowing that His love for me is steadfast, and that His saving grace gives me reason to rejoice.
Comments