How Long, Lord?

Waiting is so hard. Especially when you know that something isn't right and you're waiting for God to work it out, waiting is extremely burdensome. There are days that I feel like David in Psalm 6:3, 6:

"My soul is in deep anguish; how long, Lord, how long?

I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears."

This is exactly how it feels when we are waiting for God to step into a situation and make it right. These words express perfectly the anguish in the waiting. This is why, all throughout Scripture, we are told to stay focused on the Lord and not our circumstances. When we look at our circumstances, it will appear hopeless and impossible. We will never see how the Lord upholds us and gives us strength when we only look at the problem.

But when we look to Jesus, when we seek out our helper the Holy Spirit, we can be sure that there is an answer to the turmoil. We may not be able to see that answer, but God does. He asks us to wait and see the redemption that He will bring, and when He works, nobody will be able to deny that it was God who did the work. Practice Psalm 121:1-2: "I lift my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." Look up at your Helper, not down at your problem.

But while you wait, don't be afraid to cry out in your anguish like David in Psalm 6. It is okay to be in anguish, it is okay to groan, and it is okay to flood your bed with tears. As hard as it is, the Lord wants you to get to the place where the only thing you can do is rely on Him. He wants to show Himself faithful to you, so let Him. Yes, it hurts and yes, it is hard. But the glory that comes on the other side is always worth it. Allow yourself to wait, draw close to God in the waiting, and then be amazed when He finally shows you the answer.

Just remember to look for God at work. Don't lose sight of the fact that just because things didn't work out your way doesn't mean they didn't work out. God's ways are not our ways, and God's ways are always better. When we start to think that our own solutions are the best way, we will totally miss God working and the blessing that He wants to bring.

So when you are praying a prayer like Psalm 6 above, don't forget about verse 9:

"The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer."

God will hear your cry. He will not ignore your anguish. He may ask you to wait and see the redemption that He brings to your circumstance, but He will never ignore your plea. Cry out to Him, let Him know your hurt, and then wait for the beauty that He brings from your ashes.