Are We There Yet?

In Psalm 13 the first thing we find is David’s Desolation,

“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?”

I remember as a child…I was 6 or 7 and my dad was stationed in Oklahoma. We left Ocean Springs, MS and with our family of four and drove…all I remember is Texas…over and over again I asked, “Are we out of Texas yet?” Four times we see a very similar question, “How long?” This shows us David’s problem wasn’t a bad day…this wasn’t a long drive…this is prolonged…he is struggling.

Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemies be exalted over me?

David is a man who continually seeks the face of God and yet the face seems to be hidden…this is a lack of apparent blessing. He is struggling with dark days and dark thoughts…he is restless and feeling ignored.

Have you been there? What do you do when you face what the saints called the Dark Night of the Soul? David isn’t confessing sin…this isn’t a matter of sin and repentance…God’s fellowship has been withdrawn and David is suffering. But he doesn’t stay there.

We will pick up with the next stanza tomorrow, but are you in a Dark Night? God isn’t gone, but He might be leading you somewhere. The “right paths” of God, the “paths of righteousness” include the mountain and the valley of the shadow of death. Trust Him…the valley is the place of growth…don’t waste it…cling to God and praise Him through it and in it.