BE HONEST… BUT DON’T FORGET!
That’s one of the things I wrote in my journal this past week.
Certainly not an earth-shattering sentiment on my part, but as I was reading Psalm 77, I wrote down what I did not want to forget.
That’s journaling for me…
Writing down the things I’m thinking about.
Writing down the things the LORD is either challenging or encouraging me with.
Writing down questions I have.
Writing down confusions I have.
Writing down frustrations I have.
As way of context as to what I wrote in my journal this past week, here’s what I read in Psalm 77 that led to that 5-word journal entry…
“When I was in deep trouble, I searched for the LORD. All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven, but my soul was not comforted.”
Psalm 77:2 (NLT)
Have you ever felt like you did exactly what the LORD wanted you to do…
you prayed for a long time, maybe even all night long…
you spent time in His Word, maybe even memorized a few verses…
you even journaled, maybe something longer than 5 words…
But regardless of all that you did, it did not help?
If you’ve ever felt like that then you can relate with how the Psalmist was feeling. He prayed all night looking for the LORD to comfort him but the comfort he desired, well, he did not receive.
And rather than just move on without addressing the frustration and disappointment, the Psalmist gave voice to his hurt…
“But my soul was not comforted.”
But that was not all for the Psalmist; the honesty keeps pouring forth…
“And I said, ‘This is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me.’”
Psalm 77:10 (NLT)
That’s pretty honest!
But guess what? The LORD DID NOT rebuke the Psalmist for being honest, rather the LORD gave the Psalmist the comfort they were looking for… it just came in an unexpected way.
Before we look at how the LORD brought comfort to the Psalmist, please remember this:
GOD CAN HANDLE WHAT’S IN YOUR HEART AND ON YOUR MIND.
To be clear, that does not give us the license to be rude, disrespectful, or irreverent towards the LORD. Rather, it simply means that God is BIG ENOUGH to meet us in our honesty and is loving and gracious to give us what we need most.
Here’s what that looked like for the Psalmist…
“But then I recall all you have done, O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. 12 They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.”
Psalm 77:11-12 (NLT)
The LORD helped the Psalmist remember what their present circumstance was causing them to forget. Namely, that the LORD has always been and always will be faithful. And when the Psalmist remembered how the LORD had worked in days past, not only was there comfort, but the Psalmist had a renewed confidence in the LORD.
One more time…
BE HONEST… BUT DON’T FORGET!
Please take a moment right now to be honest with the LORD as to where you are so that you can receive from the LORD what you need most for the moment you’re in.
And just a suggestion… maybe write down what you were honest with and how the LORD met you in that place of honesty. Who knows, you might need to remember that a month or two from now.
