Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Psalms 42:11 (NIV)
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42 is the psalm that begins with the Psalmist declaring that he thirsts for God like a deer thirsts for water. Then he explains his thirst: “My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42:3, NIV). Later he wonders is God has forgotten him in the midst of oppression from his enemies.
Sometimes it will feel like God has forgotten us. All we can see is the painful circumstances surrounding us. We cry out but nothing happens. In such times it is easy to forget how God has proven himself to us in the past. We have experienced his Spirit in our hearts; he has delivered us from trials.
Therefore, our distress is an opportunity to learn deeper faith. This comes through the power of waiting. As we continuously “put our hope in God” for a stretch of time while we suffer, then we have the opportunity to choose to set our hearts and minds on his promises. The encouragement for us is that we “will yet praise him”. He will bring something valuable to us out of the situation, even if it is just to Christform us a little more.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things for good for us. 1 Peter 1:7 promises that tested faith is more valuable than gold. When we believe that our Christformation is worth more than any earthly blessing, then we can walk through our suffering with hope. This is something beyond what the world offers. It is an eternal reward that will never be lost.
