1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 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? 3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13 (ESV)

 

This Psalm was born from one of David's many moments of disappointment and despair. In spite of his circumstances, he worships and rejoices in God with tremendous hope and expectation. Even though God did not respond immediately to his cries of "How long, O Lord?" David could still rest in God's unfailing love and boundless grace towards him.

The greatest worshippers are often the ones who face the greatest trials.

Dark days and darker nights don’t last long but God’s love lasts forever and ever. Be bold and pray for the grace to be faithful and resilient even if you believe all hope is lost. God will not despise us, for He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. As we learn to walk in the light of who God says we are in His word and in Christ, we will discover the truth that God sees our victory even before we see our struggles.

There are times when God will save us from trouble and times when God will save us in the midst of trouble. Don’t allow the negativity of life's many challenges cause you to lose trust in God and His promises. Don’t let grief or suffering rob your ability to worship and don’t let a grumbling, complaining spirit hurt your faith. Learn to worship God both intentionally and spontaneously. It is better to lose ourselves in worshipping than to lose our minds with worrying. Instead of agonising over the future and what lies ahead, remember God is already present in ways we cannot imagine. We can only find true salvation in Him.

God is greater than any problem we have, and He is more powerful than any foe we face. Like David, fix your attention on God and keep glorifying Him even in your suffering. This builds trust and takes you to a depth of relationship with God that enriches and enlarges your wonder and worship of Him.