February 18– God Helps in Hard Times
By Audrey Bauman
Psalm 4
1 Answer me when I call to you,
O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people ruin my reputation?
How long will you make groundless accusations?
How long will you continue your lies? Interlude
3 You can be sure of this:
The Lord set apart the godly for himself.
The Lord will answer when I call to him.
4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude
5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,
and trust the Lord.
6 Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
Let your face smile on us, Lord.
7 You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
This psalm was likely written when David was dealing with his son Absalom’s rebellion and attempted take-over of Israel. Can you imagine what a situation like that would be like? If your child did something to completely upset you in some major way? You would be so angry. You’ve tried your best to raise that child and get him/her what they’ve needed to live well? How could they do this? You’d even be sad and depressed in the middle of your anger.
Notice in the middle of his anger, David also trusts God in this situation. He wonders how long this mess will go on, but … “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” He understands that God is the source of his peace and security. “You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”
David even takes a moment to reflect on his own response to this difficult situation. He knows he’s angry, but also knows he can’t let that anger control him. He tells himself to think about it for a while – over night for sure. In the meantime, he needs to keep quiet. Keep his mouth shut. He needs to trust the Lord. (v. 4 – 5)
There are times when we are upset about some situation in our lives. It might not be as threatening as David's issues with his son, but various things do bother us. David turns to God for help, and we do that when we pray.
There is an old prayer process developed by Saint Ignatius Loyola called the Prayer of Examen. This way of praying has 5 steps.
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray about it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
When you are facing a difficult situation, it's okay if you are feeling angry and upset. But also, like David, turn to God for help. Know that He will come to your aid. I encourage you to try the prayer of examen on a regular basis for a while. Take a deep breath and start going over your day. Look for the bright moments, look for the harder moments. Take a longer look at just one of those moments that seems to stand out. Ask God to show you what he wants you to learn from that. Praise God for his love and faithfulness.
Our song for today is Pray by Sanctus Real.
