Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. (Psalm 25:16)
We have all been there, if we aren’t currently there. As humans, we are all too familiar with the feelings of loneliness, affliction, distress, and trouble. It’s a desperate place to be and when there, we find ourselves in a desperate need of relief. Like David before us, these overwhelming situations remind us of just how incapable and helpless we are. They are not a pleasant place to be.
I have found myself there at different times and to varying degrees over the years. I wrote about one of those more desperate times in my life here, if you are currently in a difficult place or would like to be prepared (life will throw you a curve-ball sooner or later), it might be helpful and encouraging to read. But, even when things are seemingly going well in life, the nitty-gritty of living: working, parenting, relationships, school, finances, emotions etc., can weigh us down, even overwhelm us at times. May I say, especially if our focus has drifted away from God?
We better believe that, like David, if we ask God to turn to us he will! In James 4 we are told that if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. Is it not amazing that the God who created the Universe and sustains it by the power of his word, would turn to such an infinitesimally tiny part of his creation like an individual human being? But he does! And he does so with the love and care of a father and with great, great joy!
Isn’t that truth enough to help blow away some of the cobwebs of loneliness and sadness, to encourage us to put down one shaky foot in front of the other. We are not doing this thing called life alone if we are a child of God’s. He is there to listen, to direct, to help carry our burden. He is there to forgive us of any sin. Let’s try turning to God today with the burdens we have been carrying, ask him to turn to us, and watch. He is obligated by his word to do just that!
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