How Long, O Lord?
Back in 2011, an unexpected visitor showed up at Colonial Baptist Church in Cary, NC. A deer jumped through an open window and ran wild through the halls before finally escaping through an open door. Of course, this incident didn’t happen at a time when the building was empty; it happened during VBS week when the building was full of people.
The video footage made the national news, and I remember seeing it on TV. It was crazy seeing this deer sprint through the church while children are running scared and adults are trying to chase it toward an exit. You can just see how panicked the deer was; I’m sure that the screaming kids didn’t really help. You can just tell that the animal was desperate to get out of there; it just didn’t know where to turn or how to escape.
I saw that video and thought that’s actually a good picture of the way we feel sometimes. We’re going along without any problems and then, all of the sudden, we find ourselves in a situation that scares and confuses us, and we’re desperate to escape. Sometimes it seems like we’ll never be able to find our way out of the dark place that we find ourselves in. Whether it’s sickness or a death in the family or financial concerns, we find ourselves worried and afraid and confused.
In Psalm 13, David gives us an example of what it looks like to bring our sorrows and concerns to the Lord. This passage is a “lament psalm” - one in which the author lays out their situation before the Lord and asks Him to help. There are three things we see in Psalm 13 that I think we should all do when we face times of trouble.
Be Honest with God
David doesn’t hide his feelings or sugar-coat anything. In verses 1-2, he asks:
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?
That language may surprise some people. It may sound like David had lost his faith or begun questioning God’s goodness. But, in reality, David is expressing a deep faith by turning to God in his time of need. He’s being honest about his feelings, and laying it all out before the Lord.
And let’s be clear… God knew about it anyway. There’s no point in trying to hide your feelings from God, so just be honest with Him.
Ask God to Act
The second thing David does, in verses 3-4, is ask God to do something:
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.
David knew that God could come to his rescue. Even though he felt powerless, he knew that God could step in and change things. Again, that’s evidence of his faith, not his doubt. When we are at the end of our rope, God’s resources and abilities remain limitless. Don’t be afraid to ask for His help.
Remember His Grace
The last thing David does, in vests 5-6, is remind himself of the hope that he has because of God’s grace:
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.
Like David, those of us who know Jesus can say that He has dealt bountifully with us. We are the recipients of amazing grace and kindness, and we have reason to “rejoice.” That remains true even in times of trial. Our struggles can’t undo God’s goodness or cancel out His grace. We must remind ourselves of all that God has done and why He can be trusted.
We will undoubtedly face challenges in this life. We will suffer, and we will struggle. But we can find hope and help when we get honest with God, ask for His help and remember His grace.
If you’re struggling and would like to speak with a pastor, please contact us.