Have you ever felt low? Have you ever felt like life was too hard? Have you ever felt like you wanted to just crawl into your bed, pull the covers over your head and never come out? You are not alone. Throughout scripture we read about people who went through difficult times and wanted to curl up into the fetal position and retreat to their happy place. From apostles to prophets to kings to even the King of kings, the bible tells us that life comes with its fair share of emotional scrapes and bruises. You are not alone.
In the Psalms we have David writing during one of the lowest periods of his life. The future king is on the run with his life being threatened by his best friend’s dad. Soldiers who most likely have sung songs about his mighty deeds are now hanging out at his place waiting for him so they can murder him. He is unsure who he can trust, and is not sure if he will even live to see the next day.
In the letter to the Hebrews the recipients are Jewish followers of Jesus who are scattered all over the known world. Many have given up meeting together and some are on the verge of giving up on the faith completely because of severe persecution. For some the thought of losing your job, your home, your family, and even your life for the sake of Jesus is too overwhelming.
So where do you turn when you are experiencing “the dark night of the soul”? What do you look to for hope when it seems that all hope is gone? Is there anyone or anything that can lift up your weary head and give you strength to face tomorrow?
The answer is yes. The answer is our Creator, our Saviour, our Deliverer. The answer is Jesus. We are reminded both is the psalms and in Hebrews of what God has done for us. He is the God who delivered His people from slavery. He is the God who makes good on His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the God who has saved us from our sin through the sacrificial blood of Jesus. He is the God who remains faithful through any difficult time we face. He is the God who will always love us, always protect us, always strengthen us, and ALWAYS cheer us on to hold on to the one who is our anchor and our strength.
So the next time you are hurting, turn to Jesus, remind yourself of God’s faithfulness to you, and hold on.
-Darren Bute
(Youth Pastor)