Who of us, as caretakers, cannot identify with this psalm written by King David when he feels forgotten by God. Though no immediate answer comes David finds peace remembering God’s loyal love in verses 5-6. All his past experiences assure him he will again have cause to thank God for His goodness. May we find inspiration for the days we are overcome with despair, recalling how God has rescued us in the past.
Other Psalms proclaim the Lord will not abandon His people. Reminding us that we have a God who loves, supports and heals. As we trust and walk the path God directs, we are sheltered and protected. When I look back at my life and those times of crisis, I see God has always been with me, carrying me when I couldn’t walk on my own. While new challenges will occur, I pray to continue responding with faith.
I am grateful for the faith that grounds me, so I can live with hope. It equips me to meet tough situations with peace, bringing joy and comfort because it tells us that God is with us and that our difficulties are never the end of the story. It is keeping our eyes fixed on who God is and not the troubles, that enable us to remain steadfast. One particularly significant Scripture, held me for many years, “I keep the Lord always before me; with Him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.” Psalm 16:8.
It was most helpful years ago recognizing that my Mother’s emotional manipulations
affected me so profoundly, that I put her perceived needs before my own despite knowing that
caretakers cannot give from an empty place. Any boundary I drew, she saw as a deep wound
and acted out through many a difficult time. My awareness came thanks to much prayer and
spiritual direction, plus the realization I was not ‘responsible’ for how she felt. It was my
mother’s choice to figure out how to feel better about her life and mine to figure out mine.
God encourages us to give and love, but not at the cost of ourselves. David wrote more than one psalm where he is hurting. “Why are you downcast, my soul; why do you groan within me? Wait for God, for I shall again praise Him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:6. In midst of his depression, the psalmist turns to prayer in v.9, “I will pray to the God of my life.” Despite his situation, he trusts the Lord to deliver him from his sorrow. In gratitude, we can take this example for the days all we can come up with is a lament of frustration and/or pain, with the stronger hope that God has got this (whatever is happening in the circumstances of my life.) Can anyone identify and comment?