If you think you are the only one who feels down and helpless sometimes, listen to what the psalmist says in Psalm 77: 1-4 and verses 8-9.

1 “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

3 I think of God, and I moan, I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah

4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” (NRSV).

Sometimes, we wonder why we have to endure such hardships. We can’t understand why our troubles keep piling up with no end in sight! With the psalmist, we cry out loudly to God, thinking greater intensity and volume may make a difference. At night, as we think about the day, when we should be stretching out to relax our bodies for sleep, we tense our muscles and stretch out to God out of anxiety, fear, and anguish. 

Our souls are most at rest when our lives are stable. We are comfortable when we feel secure and in control. So, it’s no wonder that when life deals brutal blows, we find it difficult or even impossible to feel the comfort we once had. The more brutal, the more difficult it is for us to believe God’s love endures, that His promises are true, and that God’s grace and compassion still abound.

When life’s brutality hits us, it takes a lot of faith to continue to reach out to God. It’s easy to go to church and lift up our hands during the good times but when troubles come, we are tempted to give into depression and hopelessness. 

There is always hope. For a season our souls may refuse to be comforted but God’s presence will continue. We may feel unloved sometimes, but God’s steadfast love endures forever (Ps.136) and his promises are true. God has not forgotten us. God’s grace and compassion are neverending. Don’t give up hope! Comfort will return in time.

Receive that promise!

Pastor Don