In life, we will have times of grief and difficulty. Everyone does. I really enjoy the Psalms as encouragement in turning to God when we are experiencing these times. Like David, we can put our faith in our God and Creator. We can ask for compassion and healing.
1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2 Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 I am sick at heart.
How long, O Lord, until you restore me?
4 Return, O Lord, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love.
5 For the dead do not remember you.
Who can praise you from the grave?[b]
6 I am worn out from sobbing.
All night I flood my bed with weeping,
drenching it with my tears.
7 My vision is blurred by grief;
my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
8 Go away, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will answer my prayer.
10 May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified.
May they suddenly turn back in shame.
David starts by acknowledging that his actions are worthy of rebuke from God. He is not leading a perfect, godly life. He accepts that God may be disciplining him, but asks Him not to do so in anger.
David honestly and openly comes before God with humble heart and cries out in prayer that he compassion and healing. He needs God to save him from his difficult situation in life.
David recognizes that God is not saving him because he is worthy, but rather because of God’s unfailing love.
David clearly feels overwhelmed by the situation and his enemies. He cannot overcome the challenge by himself.
David knows even while still praying that God has heard him and his prayer. Further, despite the fact that he is in this difficult time, he still has faith that God will answer his prayer.
Not once does David blame God for his situation, collapse, and give up. He is broken and suffering and comes humbly and faithfully before God for help.
What a beautiful example of how we can approach our loving God when we are in times of difficulty, when we feel totally overwhelmed.
Take a few minutes and ask God to show you how this applies in your life. Have you fully submitted all areas to God? Have you asked Him for compassion and mercy? Have you acknowledged your wrong behavior and attitudes before Him? He knows already anyway.
Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ
Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.