I've spent the last couple days reading and re-reading the words of David in Psalm 56.
We've all heard that trials come, and trials go. We can either worry and fret unendingly over them, or learn from them and of course breathe a huge sigh of relief when the light at the end of the tunnel finally seems to appear. However, sometimes there are circumstances and life events that come at us and it literally feels like an attack on our soul itself. Can you relate? I'm talking about the heart wrenching, tear streaming, at the end of our rope and can't take the hurt anymore moments.
These kind of "moments" are the ones which seem to last for weeks... months... even years.
David had these moments, and he wrote about them in a few of his psalms. For me, Psalm 56 turned on the light bulb over my head on handling such moments, and it's instruction for us on handling them in a way that allows us to escape the sadness, fear, grief, and heartache... and accept help, deliverance and peace over it so we can stand up, move forward, and be thankful!
In this particular psalm, David calls out a prayer for help and deliverance. With a combination of evil doings of others, as well as his own fears and mistakes on his part, he finds himself in a mess that is consuming his heart and mind with grief. He walks himself through his problem in his prayer, and we can have breakthroughs of our own by following example.
First he vented.
David told God his problem. Nowhere in the psalm does it say he called up his buddies, ran to his mommy, ranted on Facebook, or discussed it at the office water cooler. He went to God crying... literally. He spilled his guts about what was bothering him. He explained his worries, fears, and what he was up against. He told God about how the people were running their mouth about him, twisting his words, and hoping he made mistakes they could call him out on. He even told God not to let them get away with it and to cast them down. Of course God already knew and saw what he was going through, but David acknowledged God as his confidant by turning to Him, and Him alone.
Is your workplace causing overbearing stress that overflows into your personal life? Are there relationships in your life that have your heart tangled? Maybe you're young and still in school, but hate going because of the peer pressure and bullying you experience?
When you can't stand it any longer... kneel. Talk to Him. He sees what's going on, but who doesn't feel better after they vent a scenario that has rocked your world. Prayer is communication between us and the throne, so fill Him in with how it's troubling your heart. The words don't have to be perfect. They can be through tears, shouting, or just whispers.
Next he acknowledged his faithful friend.
David didn't go into a "hey God how are you, thanks for hearing me out" before he spilled his guts about his dilemma. But he did acknowledge his listening Friend. He spoke of his awareness that God is with him, he has no need to fear or worry, and in God he can trust the situation.
Your dilemma may be so stressful, heart wrenching, or mind consuming that you forget to acknowledge Him before your rant begins, but as we talk, and clear our minds with our personal Confidant, the peace begins to fall, and it sinks in that we have nothing to fear. He is true to His word, nothing your worst enemy could say or do will be greater than the love of the Lord that can and will get you through it.
Lastly, he gives thanks.
David was still in the midst of his dilemma, but he thanked God as though it was already solved and over with. He knew the battle was still raging against him, but he began speaking as though it was over. He claimed God's word and His promises. He thanked God for delivering him out of the situation.
Your problem, whatever it is, may be compiling around you, building up like a concrete wall that seems to be unbreakable. Circumstances don't matter. He's the Creator of your adversaries, so surely you can trust in Him to handle them for you... because let's face it, His intervention will always be better than handling it on your own. So hold onto His promises to deliver you from it. Go about your day with a heart and mind full of joy. The enemy will come at you telling you it's getting worse, that it's not a fixable situation, and that you're just plain nuts for praising through the storm... but do it anyway. Don't feed into the words of discouragement the enemy whispers in your ear, picking it up and worrying about it some more. Let it go, and call it done.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
(Psalm 56:13)
