You gotta hand it to King David. In good times and in horrendous times, he told it like it was. He was honest with God. When confronted with his own vices, he kept coming back to God. In his despair he would cry out to God…and trust Him. In his anger he shouted at God. In quiet moments and not, he praised God. Some people think you have to be careful in talking with God; not David. He just told God how he felt. And God called David a man after his own heart.
Throughout the Psalms David questions himself repeatedly, asking why you are downcast oh my soul. Each time he answers his own question with the solution he needs: put your hope in God. I think this is a model for us, not to ignore our pain and sorrow, but also not to dwell on it too long either. There is a season for hurting and there is a time for being well. David nailed it when he realized the time to look to God’s goodness was well before he felt that blessing.
I think we sometimes expend so much energy fighting what we cannot change, it wears us out. That characterizes much of my last week with the constant nausea and pain from the chemo burns. The solution God offers is to acknowledge our reality, to remember that this is not permanent; it will change. And to draw close to Him throughout each day, being honest with Him, and yet still trusting Him. For He is a good and gracious God.
Reading Psalms this evening! You are right about David 🙂