The Power Of A Glimmer of Hope

We look around our community or on the evening news and see strugglers who’ve sunk low in their addiction, homeless folks who are wandering, many with mental health challenges. 

These words describe folks like that but also the inner life of people who wear suits and ties and have the latest haircut and are tapping out messages on their mobile phones.  Their outside may look fine but inside, it’s a terrible mess. 

My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.  My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain.  All day long I walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.

Psalm 38:4-8

How heavy are our inner pain and guilt?  What’s going on inside us that fill us with grief and exhaustion?    overwhelms us.  The anguish of what has been, what could have been, and what will never be, fills our minds.

Somehow, even though we felt abandoned by our loved ones and were filled with fear about what our enemies might do to us, a new thought came into our minds. God is with me.  God has promised to help me.  Maybe I should ask for His help, and so we do.

You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh. Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior.

Psalm 38:9, 21-22

Loving God, we don’t always know how Your kindness seeps through into our dark minds with all the pressures and troubles and helps us long for something more than we are currently experiencing.  

How amazing is it, God, that You are willing to meet us in whatever dark state we find ourselves in and are willing to help us in every way we are willing to receive that help.   

For I am waiting for you, O Lord.  You must answer for me, O Lord my God. … I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done

Psalm 38:15, 18

We’re grateful for forgiveness for any ways that we’ve contributed to the difficulties we find ourselves in.  We confess that we cannot do today on our own.  We need You.  We want You.  We choose for You and for Your way today.  Come quickly to help us, Our God and Our Saviour.  Amen    

Thankfully we don’t have to wait until our problems are overwhelming to call out to God for help and comfort.  Where are our struggles today?  Let’s not wait.  Let’s start there and see how God will act when we ask Him.