A Greater Reality
Times of difficulty prompt us to ask God some difficult questions. We are certainly not alone, nor the first to do so. The Bible is filled with the real life struggles and questions of many whose very words have been purposely preserved on the pages of scripture for our benefit. The Psalms, Israel’s hymnal, are filled with nearly ever major issue in life and express emotions from the heights of extreme ecstasy to the depths of despair.
Just listen to David as he pours out his heart concerning feeling forsaken by God. “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.” (Psalm 13:1-3 NLT) Now those do not sound like the words of a mighty king, or the man after God’s own heart. Yet they are the words of that man being totally honest with his Lord about how he feels. David was dealing with the reality of his situation. He understood that being a child of God does not provide exemption from life’s troubles.
Being a child of God does provide a powerful option for our times of trouble and feelings of forsakenness. When these things beset us, God does not forget us. In just six short verses David goes from the reality of his trouble to the greater reality of God’s unfailing love and goodness. “But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.” (v.5-6 NLT)
David saw himself as already rescued, so he could leave the timing in God’s hands. He understood that our heavenly Father loves us too perfectly to rescue us too quickly. Trust in God’s timing and God’s faithfulness prompted him to sing. That same trust in God can birth a song in our hearts in the midst of our toughest times.
-Terry Morrison