Psalm 142:3-4: “When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.”
When going through a trial, do you ever feel like you are the only one and everyone else appears to be care-free? All around you, it seems that others have more free time on their hands than you have? Or maybe everyone else seems to have a more affluent back account than yours? David felt much that way in Psalm 142.
David was in danger. His life was being threatened by Saul. David was depressed, and he was backed into a corner. He was hiding in a cave on the run from King Saul. David felt that no one cared about what happened to him. He felt all alone. He had no bodyguard with him, and nobody seemed to care whether he lived or died. I think we can all identify with David’s predicament of feeling abandoned, overwhelmed, and friendless from time to time. We all need encouragement and compassion from loving friends especially when we are hurting. But feelings of loneliness, insecurities, fears, desperation, and weaknesses, are all used as a sticky trap Satan uses to make life appear insurmountable and hopeless.
David was a skilled soldier but felt wholly inadequate in saving his own life from Saul. He was in over his head in trouble. But David was also a man of faith in his heart. He prayed in earnest and voiced his need of deliverance to God. In Psalm 142:2 he uses the word “him” – “I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.” Then in verse three, he changes the pronoun to “you” – “When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!” He did the same in Psalm 23:4a: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me . . .” David prayed directly and earnestly to God and was confident that God would protect and deliver him from his enemies as he declares in verse 5 of Psalm 145:
“You are my refuge” and then ends this chapter with verse seven: “. . . For you will deal bountifully with me.”
Eventually, David was delivered and the nation embraced him as God’s chosen King. God’s purpose was then fulfilled and perfected for His plan for David.
When life is sticky we have to fight against the following lies Satan will try to trap us in a set of false beliefs:
- I am all alone.
- Nobody cares what I am going through.
- This is impossible.
- It is all my fault.
- I am a complete failure.
Truths to cling to and fight back with when waiting for God’s rescue:
- God cares for me. 1 Peter 5:7: “Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.”
- God is working all things together for good and is the author of my story. Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
- God will protect me. Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
- God’s purpose will be fulfilled no matter what. Psalm 138:8: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.”
- God is rich in His grace and mercy for me: Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.”
- God’s power is limitless. Ephesians 3:20: “Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.”
“There comes a moment when you must quit talking to God about the mountain in your life and start talking to the mountain about your God. You proclaim His power. You declare His sovereignty. You affirm His faithfulness. You stand on His Word. You cling to His promises.” Mark Batterson.
Questions:
When you are physically tired have you noticed how your faith in God is affected? Is it stronger or weaker when your body is crying out for rest or sleep?
What is the most significant answer to prayer that God has given you during your lifetime? Why is our praise short-circuited or our memory of that event cloudy when a new crisis erodes?
If you are feeling lonely right now, ask the Holy Spirit to bring you to someone’s mind today, and that he or she will encourage you with just the right “apples of gold” words. Proverbs 25:11 HCSB: “A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples on a silver tray.” Next, who has been laid on your heart to brighten their day? Let them know in an email, or message, or phone call, that you are praying for them and are grateful for how God has used them in your life.
My prayer for today: “God in yielding my body, mind, and will, to you today, transform my mind and prepare my thinking to meet the requirements or expectations of people I will encounter. Bring to my mind anyone that You want me to encourage today. I acknowledge and give You thanks that You have a purpose in my life, which will be fulfilled no matter what. Your power is more than I can ever fathom. Sustain me from the verses I have read as I echo back my praises of thanksgiving and gratitude to You. I wait and look for your showers of blessings today. Amen.”
Listen to Lauren Daigel’s song with lyrics, “Here’s My Heart Lord.”