Moving From Sorrow To Trust And Joy - Part 2

Psalm 13 (a Psalm of David)

1 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?
2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Do you see it? Four times David asks his caring Shepherd, “How long..?” This cry for an end to his sorrow and suffering is understood by us. Our bad day. Our string of bad days. Our string of bad days that stretch into years… “O God, how long,” escapes our heart and lips. “How do I move from here to the joy promised me in Christ?”

David may have been at risk of doubting God completely. His soul was hearing lies of abandonment even though God had chosen David to be king of Israel and his future was secure. His words express thoughts of a God who was not who he said he was but who David’s mind was creating based on his broken heart. The feelings were real but not reflecting reality. David needed light. He asks, “God, please, open my eyes to see what you see. Answer my prayer. Or, I may die and everything fall apart.”

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

Pressing in, he seeks God’s truth to define his reality, whether or not his emotions are in alignment with it. Taking this second step to move from sorrow to trust and joy, David gets closer to a restored and rejoicing heart. So too for us.

Dear One, you are loved, safely held, favored by God. He is safe, trustworthy, and your shining Light. Don’t let life’s sorrows cause you to believe lies about him or yourself. May you press further into him for his view of things, so your reality will be based on his love and care for you. Your heart depends on it. Basing our reality on his truth changes everything.

(to be continued)…