Return to Hope
What are you depending on? Is there a pillar in your life that if you were to lose it, your house would come crashing down? The Sunday School answer is easy – well, it’s Jesus. If you’re anything like me, that’s not always the true cry of my heart. I wish it were.
I’m coming into an increased appreciation for the Psalms. They’re such an honest representation of life. They’re written by real people, going through real things, and experiencing real life. The beauty lies in their honesty.
Have you ever talked with a salesperson who doesn’t believe in what they’re selling? You can hear their lack of conviction. And that alone is enough to pass on their offering. But, there’s a whole other side of the coin when you talk to someone who is passionate about what they’re after – suddenly you’re excited too.
Psalm 42 speaks in such a way. The Psalmist declares his longing for God, “as the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1). God is seen not as a want, or a would-like-to-have – He’s seen as a desperate need.
The Psalm is riddled with the realities of lack the Psalmist is experiencing. He needs God to show up and there’s a part of him that’s even wondering where God is. “’O God my rock,’ I cry, ‘Why have You forgotten me?’” (Psalm 42:9). Does this question resonate with you, like it does for me at times?
Seasons when the Lord is quiet and it feels like life is out of control and you’re getting left behind are frantic and frightening. It’s here that the rubber meets the road and we have a choice as to where we’re going to put our trust and what we’ll choose to depend on. This is a crossroad that reveals what we all believe. And friend, we all believe something.
The Psalmist chooses, just like you and I get to choose. He reflects on his brokenness, his need, and chooses hope. Twice he says, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again – my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5, 11).
The Psalmist returns to the Lord and praises God. Where do you tend to go in your time of need? Is it attention from others, the bottle, Netflix, we all go somewhere. The Psalmist returned to the Lord.
So, what can we take away from this? Following Jesus is not going to lead us to a trouble-less life. In this world we will encounter hardships, trials, and persecution. It’s part of the deal. The real question is what are you going to do when those times come up? Psalm 42 challenges us to respond with honesty before the Lord, to praise Him, and ultimately to place our hope in God.
Friend, God is able to do immeasurably more than we can think or ask. He’s filled with affection for you. And His ways our outside, other, and completely higher than ours. When life feels out of control, we have a safe place to go – to the One who knows all, is in all, and will never forsake us. I want to encourage you, the next time life feels out of control – take a breath, slow down, remind yourself of who you are in Christ. Put your hope back in the Lord and choose to praise Him – He’s reliable, dependable, and there’s no safer place to be.
