Read Psalm 13.

I love the raw emotion David shows in this Psalm.  Four times in two verses he cries out, “How long?!”.  I don’t know about you, but I have had circumstances in my life that induce that kind of emotional response.  Let’s look at some things we can learn from how David processed his emotions and turned them around.  

David begins with raw emotion.  What is noteworthy is the fact that he was directing his emotional angst to God.  This gives me a clue as to why I can stay in an emotional mess longer than I need to.  Oh, I’ve got the wallowing part down pat, but do I take that emotion to the Lord or do I sit in it all by myself?  (ouch)

When I observe the short length of this Psalm, I see that David exemplified the truth that “you can have a feeling without the feeling having you.”  He acknowledged his emotions and didn’t stuff them.  He took what he felt to God, and it resulted in a quick turn around.  

David remembered that in the past he had trusted in God’s lovingkindness.  We need to do the same.  When we get stuck in the fog of emotion over our current circumstances, we need to look back at how God has worked in our lives in the past.  God hasn’t changed.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  God was trustworthy in the past, and He will indeed be trustworthy in the midst of what I am currently facing.  

David went from “how long?!” to “my heart shall rejoice in God’s salvation” and “I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.”  David knew from experience the trustworthiness of God, and in his hard time, he chose to lean into that. 

We can do the same thing in our hard times.  Take our feelings to God, don’t sit alone in them, where the evil one can whisper things that make us doubt God’s goodness.  Remember how God has, in His lovingkindness, proven Himself trustworthy in our past.  Choose to look up and not around, knowing “that God causes ALL things (past, present, and future) to work together for good to those who love God (you share your emotions with those you love), to those who are called according to His purpose.”, (Romans 8:28).  

As a sidetone, when I think of HIS purpose, what is coming to mind is how God said that His thoughts and ways are not like mine, they’re higher, Isaiah 55:8-9.   How true that is.  My natural bent is to filter my circumstances through how they affect “me“.  But God’s purpose is to use my circumstances to make me more like His Son.  

We CAN have a quick turn around like David if we choose to follow his example.  One last thing.  Notice that the change was in David’s heart and mind, not in his circumstances.  Situations may not change when you talk to God and remember, but because God is trustworthy, your perspective about them will.