Psalms 13:1-2 -- On Enduring

"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?"
Psalms 13:1-2


Perhaps we all feel like this at some point in our lives, despairing and thinking that the Lord has forgotten us. And there are many responses in the scriptures already about God showing that he hasn't forgotten us, asking what limits on suffering we think that we need, noting that Christ suffered more than anyone, etc. Unfortunately, all of those things are hard to hear in the moment that we are going through our own dramatic trials.

Perhaps a better approach here is to answer the question of the Psalmist about how long it will feel that way... definitely not forever. Joy cometh in the morning. God will not leave us comfortless. Sometimes the enemy wins, and sometimes we get into chapter 5, or 15, or 50, of our story and things aren't looking too great for our hero. But the eternal truth here is that God doesn't write horror. His stories always have a happy ending, if we can endure the scary part in the middle and continue reading, trusting in that happy ending to come, even if sometimes it is beyond this life.

If everything were perfect all the way through, the hero wouldn't learn what is necessary for the eventual triumph. It wouldn't even be a good story... Adam and Eve lived in the garden forever, not realizing their potential. Not great. Instead, they fell, as do we all sometimes, and it's tough to get back to paradise... but not impossible by a long shot, because God is here, in our lives, coaching us and yoking himself with us, taking on our burden, making it possible. ... Today, let's open our eyes and our hearts and realize that he is here, helping us, and that our pain can be swallowed up in his joy if we turn to him, accept his will, and work for that happy ending. Let's turn the page, keep reading and trusting the author of all things good. It gets better. ... So much better that these hard moments will seem like minor irritants. We just have to keep living the story and believing in and working for that amazing ending. God will not fail us. His promises are sure.