Ed Jones, Pastor
I love the raw emotions of the psalms.
Many imagine strong faith as a smooth road of trusting God. Never wavering. Undaunted by obstacles. The psalms of lament are encouraging in the sense that they give us a glimpse of the struggles in faith that godly men went through. Like David.
“How long, LORD, will You continue to ignore me?
“How long will You pay no attention to me?
“How long must I worry
“and suffer in broad daylight?” (Psalm 13:1-2).
Have you ever felt that way? You have grown in your faith as a believer in Jesus Christ. You’ve memorized scriptures that talk about the presence of God, such as Psalm 139:7-12:
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
But today our hardships seem to have swallowed our confidence. The future is uncertain and we feel abandoned by God. So, we cry out to him. We can learn from David, who in the midst of his pain and questions ran to the only true God and asked, “How long, oh LORD” (Ps. 113:1)?
When trouble occurs, to whom do you instinctively turn? Let me pose the question differently, when diagnosed with cancer, do you first turn to God or to the best doctor you can find? In the midst of such difficult questions, David placed his hope squarely on God. He ends his song with a note of confidence.
“But I trust in Your faithfulness.
“May I rejoice because of Your deliverance.
“I will sing praises to the LORD” (Ps. 113:5-6).
David wrote these words while he was still in trouble. He praised God not because he was already delivered but because he saw God for who God was.
When the hardships of life plunge you into doubt and despair, it’s okay to say to God that you feel overwhelmed. He will comfort you and bring you to a place where the road is smoother.
Ed Jones pastors Fellowship at the Ranch Church at Robson Ranch. This nondenominational church meets at the Robson Clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. For information, visit Fellowship’s website at www.fellowshipattheranchchurch.com.