How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? . . . But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13:1, 5–6 NKJV
One misconception our society has about Christianity is that Christians have to be happy all the time, no matter the circumstances. Is it biblical to question God? Is it biblical to mourn?
We see throughout scripture mourning, frustration, righteous anger, and tears. The shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Our goal as a child of God is to glorify our Savior, not wear a plastered smile around town. Being sorrowful or frustrated is not sin, but how you handle these emotions can lead to sin.
In Psalms, David asks the Lord many times if He has forsaken him. We watch David question the Lord, then explain his troubles, pain, and circumstances. Always near the end of a psalm, David revisits God’s great character and works. Loving-kindness, salvation, bountiful. . .he reflects, remembers, and trusts in God. We must do the same when God appears distant. Reflect on the God of the scriptures and the wonders He has done in your life.
Father, You never said it would be easy following You. Thank You for not lying, and thank You for life in Christ. I won’t always understand, but help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Amen.
Recommended Resource:
If you liked today’s reading, we recommend the newest edition of Daily Wisdom for Women Devotional Collection. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Related Readings:
CLICK HERE to discover more readings about trust.
Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2017 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Lydia Mindling.