GOD IS AS REAL AS YOUR PROBLEMS!

WE MUST FOCUS ON GOD, NOT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES

Psalm 13

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.

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.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Will it ever stop raining? Will I ever get better? Do things ever get easier? Is that person ever going to change? Will I suffer forever? Will I ever be forgiven? Will I ever see justice? Will I ever find relief? Will I always struggle at work? Will I ever find a mate? Will I ever stop feeling so alone?

God, where are you? Did You forget me? Are You too busy for me? Have You turned the other way?

  

How long will I continue to worry? How long will I continue to be confused and perplexed? How long will my heart be full of sorrow? When are my days ever going to change?

How long will my enemies rejoice in my calamity? How long will my enemies prevail? How long will I continue to be overwhelmed?

How many of us are asking these kinds of questions of God? It certainly does not seem to be the godly way to deal with the trials of life. If David had stopped here, filled with despair, we should certainly be perplexed. 

But as David continues his conversation with the LORD, he calls Him his God. David has made a choice that drives his life. He has chosen Whom he will trust. The eternal, self-sufficient, omniscient One is his God. He is looking to Him to bring hope to his life. He desires God to strengthen him, so that his enemies will not be able to rejoice in his defeat. David’s defeat would be displaying a “shaken” life before his enemies. He is trusting God and he wants his trust to be visible as a testimony to his foes. 

David has clarity about what he has believed. He has trusted the eternal, faithful, and everlasting love of his God. He knows that he will find joy in God’s care. The heart that was full of sorrow is now a heart that hopes, and will rejoice in the care and work of God. He will not continue in his despair, but God will place a song in his heart. His song will praise the LORD Who deals mercifully with him. His God is the one Who vindicates him. He has no doubt that resting in God will produce peace in him, and he knows that God’s sovereign control will produce benefits to his life.

Is this truly a psalm of desperation? I believe that this is a song that describes real problems of life, which are hard to deal with. It also describes the response of a man who has chosen to trust God in the midst of them, knowing that his God is as real as his problems. He is not hopeless!

When facing the real problems of our lives we are tempted to look at our situations and despair, but God wants us to look at Him and trust.

About two years ago, I had the privilege of watching my parents experience this psalm before my eyes. My mom had been diagnosed with terminal acute leukemia, and when we heard the shocking news, our family was blessed to gather together with our parents. Although there were moments of deep sorrow as we faced the upcoming reality of separation from her, at least here on earth, there was also great trust in the Lord displayed.

My mom and dad were truly examples to us, as they lived out their lives in this difficult time. As we parted company with tears, knowing that we might never see Mom again on this side of heaven, we yet were rejoicing in the fact that we were all trusting God and His sovereign will. About six months later mom went to be with the Lord. During all that time, we experienced the loving care of God for her and for all of us who watched her rejoice in her salvation.

This psalm described David’s real struggles with life’s woes and the comforting care of God. Our experience as we awaited my mother’s homegoing displayed the truth that God never changes, that the Scriptures are true, and that we can live through the real struggles of life because God is still active in comforting His own.

Are you tempted to remain in a state of despair? God’s word and His promises need to be your focus and hope!