"How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Psalm 13:1-2 NKJV
David uses the term 'How long' 4 times to emphasise the point he is making to God. He felt abandoned and forsaken and his thoughts were not wholesome. He felt that God was allowing his enemy to dominate him. When things are not going well for us, it is easy to assume that evil is winning and God is nowhere to be found.
Many times, we forget that God sees things much differently to us:
'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways, My ways.' says the LORD. 9 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways; and My thoughts than your thoughts.' Isaiah 55:8-9
He doesn't work the way we feel that He should.
'How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?' v1 is the term David used to emphasise his problem had been going on for a long time. You may be able to relate to this. You may have been waiting for God to act on your behalf for a very long time, but up to now, no breakthrough. You may be ill and longing for healing; you may be on your own and need someone to love you. There is a host of things that you may be praying for, but it doesn't seem to arrive. What about the woman with the issue of blood. Matthew 9:20-22. She had suffered this for twelve years or so and spent all of her money on doctors that got her nowhere, except broke. She didn't give up. That day, when she saw Jesus, she thought, 'if only I may touch the hem of His garment, I shall be healed'. She did and she was. She could easily have felt forgotten and abandoned but she hung on to her faith and the right moment. God may be speaking to you right now about this!
It can seem that, one moment God is here with us and the next, He seems far away. And yet, He says 'I will never leave you or forsake you' Hebrews 13:5.
David's third 'How Long?' addressed his soul. His thoughts were often in turmoil as he wrestled with this. Our thoughts can so easily be hijacked by the enemy when we are feeling low in spirit. We may feel that we are all alone and that no one, including God, cares at all. But, problems are God's way of allowing us to grow in faith. It breeds experience every time, and this experience is what we can pass on to others who may be in similar situations.
Bottom line, 'Where is God in all of this?' He is right beside you. His ways may be beyond our understanding but it will always turn out ok.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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