Daily Devotional

Are you in a dark place right now? Are you hurting, in pain, sick, or weary? Are you seeking wisdom for a difficult situation? Do you simply not know where to go or what to do? This verse provides some instruction, some comfort, and a hope. Let’s start with the comfort part. The psalmist says that the Lord inclined to him and heard his cry. In his time of need or distress the Lord hears us and doesn’t ignore us. He is a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). He is not uninterested in our affairs and struggles, rather He is intimately aware of all of our issues and concerns. 1 Peter 5:6–7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” God loves us and cares for us and desires that we come to Him with our struggles and concerns that He may strengthen us.

The next part of this verse is hope. We see the result of waiting on the Lord, that He lifts the psalmist out of the pit, out of the mire and brings him onto solid ground, the rock. God is our salvation and our strength and brings us out of the calamity, out of our situation, and puts us back onto solid ground. We can place our hope in the Lord God Almighty who brings us out of our disaster and sets our feet upon the rock. And not only that but will establish our steps. The hope that we have in the Lord is unlike any hope we can have on earthly things.

Finally I want to come back to the first part, the instruction, and that is to wait patiently. I think the most important part of this passage is this, that our timing is not God’s timing. I know when we are down, and hurting, and confused, or lost, we would want nothing more than for God to fix the situation immediately. But that is not always His plan, that is not always what is ultimately best for us or those around us. Sometimes our resilience in suffering is the hope others need to see. Sometimes our tragedy is the wake up call for either ourselves or our family or friends. In Romans 8:28 we read: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Notice the “according to His purpose” part, it’s His purpose, not ours. We are His handiwork, and are called to shine for Him on this earth. And sometimes shining for Him means suffering for His namesake.

So call upon the Lord, and then wait patiently for His timing, all the while placing your hope in the Author and Perfecter of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ whom we serve.

"New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved."