Do you ever feel God has forgotten you? (Psalm 13)
2/24/2009
In Psalm 13:1, it is obvious that David was feeling God had forgotten him. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? In many Psalms, King David shares his physical and psychological distresses, and how he wrestles with them in his relationship with God. David is so candid about his struggles with God, yet, he is still called “a man after God’s own heart.” This makes me realize God does not expect me (or you) to have our act together, but to be honest and real with Him, as in any relationship that is based on love.
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? I can relate to this verse because I can get feeling that whatever is distressing me will continue indefinitely. This is because it seems I am struggling with it daily, with no end in sight. Can you relate?
Yet something miraculous happens when I stop mentally obsessing about whatever is distressing me, and start seeking and relying on God who loves me. This is because God is the only One who can truly empower us to overcome what our thoughts and feelings are distressed about. I have found when I start trusting God in my trial, I start seeing the real truth - which is God is working all things for my good. Some struggles do take a long time to have peace in, so give yourself a break and know God has not forgotten you even if you feel like it. Be aware, our feelings are not always the truth about a situation, but God’s Word is. Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:3-6 (NIV) (Read Isaiah 26:3-4, John 8:31-32, Acts 13:22 & Romans 8:28-39)
Because of His love, Gini