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.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
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.
Psalm 13
Everyone of us will go through a trial that makes us cry out: "How long?"
It is only natural to feel the vulnerability of faith under stress.
Looking back I remember being stuck in a hopeless situation, thinking: "Is it ever going to be any different?"
Life seemed to be lived on a gloomy treadmill of work and responsibility. Joy was something that was firmly on the back-burner. It must have shown on my face.
Yes, I remember praying this Psalm from the depths of my being. Yet it seemed that there was no answer.
It's times like theses that makes us grit our spiritual teeth and declare, in the face of hard circumstances, "But I WILL trust in your unfailing love"...
Knowing and trusting in the Lord's love is the only thing that brings us through such tough trials.
Jesus asks us to persevere in the face of trouble and injustice.
In Luke 18 He tells the story of an unjust judge and a widow who made a real nuisance of herself until this grumpy old judge got fed up of her and gave her the help she craved.
Then He asks: "But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?” Luke 18:8
Yes, it's honest and natural to question God's timing in our lives and pour out our complaints to Him. But temper this with a declaration of undying trust in His faithfulness.
It is a difficult environment, in this day and age, to hold onto authentic faith in Jesus and His Return, but wouldn't it be a shame if we have no faith to offer Him when He comes back?
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
Hebrews 12:12-13
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