A guest post By: Bruce Nevin Haines
I cry out with my voice to the Lord; with my voice I implore the Lord for compassion. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him. When my spirit felt weak within me, You knew my path. In the way where I walk. They have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right and see;
For there is no one who regards me favorably; There is no escape for me;
No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, Lord; I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living. (Psalm 142:1-5)
All of us long to feel secure. All of us yearn for a sense of safety and stability. But the reality is that we won’t always feel these things. There are circumstances that we wish would end. There is pain that we no longer want to endure. There is a quote that says, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
Desperation means- loss of hope and surrender to despair, a state of hopelessness. (Merriam-Webster).
Our feelings of desperation need not be the enemy. We can long for many things, our health to be restored, relationships to be reconciled, financial security. We are desperate to find hope in all these situations. In our search for hope these struggles can be allies that drive us to God. I would love to have a life free of despair and never feel desperate again. The Word of God says many times, we are to put our hope in God alone.
(Psalm 62:5, Psalm 39:7, Psalm 71:5, Psalm 130:5-6)
The goal is that we are strong in our faith. I have never heard a testimony where someone stated that their faith grew in an easy situation. Faith needs resistance to be exercised. For faith to grow we need to learn to “do it afraid.” If we feel desperation, let it drive us to God. If the desperation still remains, that’s okay, just let it continue to drive us to God.
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
(Hebrews 4:14-16)
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