How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
Psalm 13:1, 5-6 NIV
How long will you hide your face from me?
. . .
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
As a Christian, do you ever feel like God is far away? That your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling? That your joy in Christ is missing? I think we all go through periods like that. Especially if you have been a believer for any length of time. And clearly, David experienced it. But what do you do when you find yourself in that condition?
I believe there are two things you could do. Some will wander away from God. And they will look for fulfillment, satisfaction, or joy in some other source. But that is the road that leads to ruin.
Trust in God
At the end of this Psalm, David expressed the alternative that he chose. David chose to continue to trust in God and to rejoice in His salvation. Even when his situation screamed for him to seek help elsewhere, David chose to remain faithful to God.
David’s example for us is good. If your sin is causing separation from God, repent and seek restoration (Psalm 51). But other times, when it seems God is distant, choose to remain faithful to Him and His call in your life. Don’t trust in your feelings. Trust in God. Know that He loves you and cares for you more than you can know. Trust that He is always near, even when it appears otherwise.
