PREVIEW: As you read through Psalms, you will often see how David was downcast because of the challenges of dire circumstance, difficult people, and personal failure. Just like you and me, he faced the gritty, raw reality of life, and sometimes it seemed that he just couldn’t catch a break. But in those psalms, you will notice that the more David pours out his heart honestly before God the more his spirit begins to lift by the end of the psalm, and before you know it the reality hits David that his life is squarely in the hands of his loving Father — where it has been all along. That will happen for you, too!
A Journey of Worship // Psalm 6:6-9
I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies. Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer.
There are times, to be quite honest, when life stinks. Satan attacks, or people say vicious things, or circumstances threaten to sink your ship, or sin weighs you down, or your body breaks down — or all of the above. It is in times like these that, understandably, you just don’t have a positive outlook on life.
So, the question is, what do you do about it? Well, you can just grit it out. Or you can talk to caring people who will encourage you. You can pay a therapist to listen to how bad life is for you. You can hire a personal coach to walk you through it. Those aren’t necessarily bad options.
But the most effective therapy is prayer! And best of all, it’s free. It won’t cost you a thing, except your time and your honesty before God.
David was in quite a pessimistic state of mind. Something was happening that he couldn’t fight his way through. He was down and he despaired of life itself. He spent sleepless nights and soaked his pillow with tears of anguish, with no relief in sight. But David prayed. That’s what David did — a lot!
As you read through Psalms, you will often see how David was downcast because of the challenges of dire circumstance, difficult people, and personal failure. Just like you and me, he faced the gritty, raw reality of life, and sometimes it seemed that he just couldn’t catch a break. But in those psalms, you will notice that the more David pours out his heart honestly before God the more his spirit begins to lift by the end of the psalm, and before you know it the reality hits David that his life is squarely in the hands of his loving Father — where it has been all along.
Had David’s circumstances suddenly changed? Not necessarily. What had changed was David’s perspective. That’s what honest prayer does. David had suddenly come to the realization yet again that through the therapy of prayer, he had received a perspective better than the one he had brought to God at the beginning of his prayer. He had received the healing gift of being in the very presence of God.
That’s always the gift of prayer, by the way: Just spending time in God’s presence. And it is always the best answer to prayer: Prayer itself.
That’s what prayer will do for you, too. It’s the best therapy!
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