How Long?

As followers of the Lamb of God I am convinced that we so often put on the fake smile. You know what I'm talking about, let me give you an example. Someone comes up to you and asks, "How are you doing?" We turn around and immediately answer Great. Meanwhile we shudder at our answer because we know it is nothing short of a lie. Why do we do that? I believe the majority of the time it is due to our pride. We just don't want people to know how imperfect our world can be at times.

I think that's one of the reasons why I love David so much. David was willing to say to others as well as to the Lord, I just don't understand. Lord, help me I am such a terrible mess. I really don't know what you are doing Father. Doubt me look at the following verses.


Psalms 13:1-2 ( ESV )

---

¹    How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?    How long will you hide your face from me?

---

²    How long must I take counsel in my soul    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?    How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?


Just like David, I have felt this way with the Lord at times as well and I also suspect you have as well. In just two short verses David ask the Lord four times. HOW LONG? In just these few short words the Psalmist King brings out the deepest of emotions. David brings out our greatest fears about our relationship with the Lord through our trials. Do these sound like familiar words to you? God have you forgotten me? Lord I just don't see you in the midst of all of this mess. When will the sadness ever end? Why is it that I feel like I am being constantly beaten up?

No, the majority of us I believe will put on our plastic smiles. We will quote Psalms 118:24 and say, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Brothers and sisters I have found comfort in this verse like many of you. My only problem though is that the "day that the Lord has made" in this verses context is the day in which our Savior gave of His life for you and me. (Esp. v. 21-23)

He is my Father and I know that He does all things well and because I love Him, He will work out all things together for the good. I am so grateful to my Father that I can look at Him not with judgment but like a little child and say, I just don't understand. Father, my heart is breaking. Why Father? When I come to Him as a son He does not scream at me and shout, How dare you?

I know that we have to be careful here because I do not want to fall into the sin of how dare we question God. I am frightened at those and myself when we feel as though we have the right to look at God and say you messed up. (By the way an incredibly blasphemous thought.) We will and shall never be able to judge God.

Our attitude is the issue in our trials. He is allowing us to be refined so that we can show forth His image before the whole world. Like a child I come to Him in the midst of it all and say like the Psalmist. Father, I don't understand how long will this go on. The Father sees and knows the reasons why we have to go through it all. Like the young men of Daniel 3 He is there in the furnace with us and He will deliver us.

Before I close though we must look at how the Psalmist closes out the Psalm in verse 5.


Psalms 13:5 ( ESV )

---

⁵    But I have trusted in your steadfast love;    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.


In the midst of my sorrow, in the midst of our trials this should gives us  hope. His Steadfast Love. Though my world may seem to be falling apart at times. Though it seems like the enemy is pounding against the gates. We have a Father that  how ever LONG the trial might be will never give up in His LOVE FOR ME. Though the road seems long His love will never change for us and He will be there in the midst of it all. For this reason in the midst of the HOW MUCH LONGER TIMES in our lives, He will be our salvation.