Psalm 34:17-18 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Since losing my job back in May, I have had a lot of ups and downs trying to find a job. It has taken me on an emotional roller coaster ride where I am filled with joy and hope, to a point of uncertainty and fear.
When I searched for God's word regarding my emotional state of mind, He reminds me that He is always there. My problem is, and has been lately, that I haven't done much by way of verse 17: The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.
I've been wallowing in self-pity. After nearly 50 years of working with a certain amount of success, rejections don't come easy for me. It does not take long for me to fall into despair, and feel like I have to settle for less. Unfortunately, it may come to that. Partly due to our economy and the availability of jobs I am qualified for. I might have to find a job out of my skill set just to make ends meet. In a way, I am prepared for this possibility, though it's not my personal preference.
However, if I don't cry out and keep it all bottled up inside, how then will God hear me? Surely God knows everything that is going on in my life, and knows the condition of my heart. But I also know I need to do my part and seek Him and ask for His wisdom to see clearly. I know I need to pray more, but I don't. That is something I need to fix immediately.
I realize now that I cannot expect verse 17 to come to pass, if I dwell in a constant pity-party. Verse 18 is the fulfillment of verse 17: The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
God does not want us to quit and give up while we are in the middle of our fight. I was taught in the Marines to always do my best, and give 110% in everything I do. It doesn't mean we won't fail at times, but we will succeed more than we fail.
I need to get off the pity-pot and do what must be done, and trust in the Lord for His providence by faith, even when I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I would encourage any of you who may be experiencing a rough patch in your life's journey to do likewise. Trust in the Lord - completely - and cry out to Him.
I certainly don't have all the answers, but I know Who does!
Your humble servant,
Tom
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