As I have written before, my grandmother kept a spiritual
journal for over 60 years. Upon her
death, I got them out of storage for fear that something would happen to
them. The temptation became too great
and I opened one and began reading it. I
was immediately convicted that I was intruding on holy ground …eavesdropping on
a sacred conversation…meddling in private pleas to her private God. I closed the journals and haven’t returned to
them since.
When reading this passage today, I felt the same type of
anguish from the author but without the conviction. God inspired David to pen this prayer of
affliction, because He knew 3,000 years later we would be able to relate. The word affliction in the Old Testament is
translated as ‘a state of oppression or extreme discomfort in the physical,
spiritual, emotional or mental.’ God
knew that like David we would plead with Him in our afflictions. I’m desperately looking for you God because
I am stuck and trapped in my circumstances. He was well aware that we would
feel like we were talking to His back and being ignored…Turn around and look at me Lord and give me
some grace in my situation. He
already knew that our emotions would afflict us more than the actual trouble…In addition to being trapped Father I feel
as if I am the only one experiencing this.
I’m sick of it…anguished in
it…distressed by it! And just as if
that wasn’t enough suffering he writes that the troubles in his heart have
multiplied. I cannot help but to
understand this as a cautionary tale.
When we are in a troubling situation, it is so tempting
to recount everything that has ever gone wrong.
It is human nature to view even blessings through the eyes of cynicism
and pessimism. We keep score…we measure
our lives against others…we multiply our troubles because the devil convinces us
that we’ve been duped. He reminds our
hearts of other times God allowed suffering.
He brings to mind how others have it so much better than we do….multiplied troubles…kidnapped
hearts…hijacked minds.
That is why we have the Word as armor for our
journey. It is written that we are God’s
children, loved and chosen. ‘How great is
the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of
God’ 1 John 3:1. We are told that
while we will suffer on earth we will never be apart from God’s presence. ‘And he said, “My presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest”’ Exodus 37:14.
We are assured that whatever the evil one whispers into our hearts, God
will shout victory in our spirit. ‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but
God meant it for good’ Genesis 50:20.
God’s word is active, cutting right to the heart and
breathing life where there seems to be death, hope where there once was despair.
By getting in the Word daily the troubles of our heart will be met with
confidence in God’s promises. We will be
delivered out of our affliction by the perfect hand of
God.
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