David was very transparent about his suffering. Whether he suffered because of his enemies or his own sin, David was in a desperate situation. He prayed, "Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors—even my friends are afraid to come near me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way (Psalm 31:9-11)." David was at the very bottom of his life. He was depressed and helpless by the sins that he had committed and the oppression of his enemies. He was overwhelmed with suffering. However, at the very bottom of his suffering, his faith in God carried him through. He continued to pray, "But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, "You are my God!" My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me (Psalm 31:14-16).
When we hit rock bottom, our faith in God will carry us through. Sadly, when people are in their lowest or worst situation, they overwhelm themselves with alcohol, drugs, or anything that can relieve their pain. They even blame God for their suffering. However, God is the only one who can rescue us from our suffering and relieve us from our pain and sorrow. Jesus came to rescue us from sin and death. He died for our sins so that we can be forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Him. We can never lose hope because we have a God who can carry us through our worst possible situation. David finished Psalm 31 with encouragement, "Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! (Psalm 31:23-24)"
We will never run out of hope as long as we put our faith in the Lord. And so, no matter what we are going through today, let us walk in our faith in God, and He will carry us through and give us hope and peace for the future.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through carefully and meditate on the questions while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you). Who can give me hope in my suffering? Why is it important to trust God in my suffering? Do I put my faith in God?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you that you are my hope in my suffering. When I am in pain and sorrow, you are always there with me. You comfort me with your presence. Please help me to be strong in my faith in you. Please overwhelm me with your peace and presence today. In your name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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