David and Me

So I was reading the book of Psalm and as I'm reading I'm thinking to myself wow this book is pretty cool. I can relate to a lot of the questions that David asked God. I'm asking God a lot of those questions right now. The cool thing is that as I continue to read this book the questions that I ask get answered because David already asked these questions and then when God answered him he recorded the answer. Another thing I have noticed as I read this book is how his moods change. How often he asks the same questions over and over again and then receives the same answerer each time. He goes from feeling happy and praising God to asking God why He has left him and why He is not protecting him.

In one chapter he asks; "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" (Psalm 13). Then a few chapters over he says; "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies." (Psalm 18). THEN (yes, there's more) a few chapters over he says; "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?" (Psalm 22) I could keep going but I wont.

I cant tell you how often I do the same thing, how often I ask the same questions David asked and how often I feel down and suddenly I read things like this and I am encouraged. I am so excited because I know that God never has and never will leave me. The problem wasn't that God was not there, the problem was that I was not looking for him. It seems like I'm getting it, I understand the the problem is not Him it's me. Then something bad happens and suddenly I am back asking God where He is and why He is not helping me in my time of need, why is He not fixing my problem and taking the pain away.