The Darkest Psalm ... and What to Do in the Valley of Suffering

Read Psalm 88.

What a dark psalm! This may be the darkest of all the psalms and the most bleak of all the Scriptures (save Lamentations, I suppose). As I read this today, I kept waiting for the yet or however or but that you find in other psalms, but there are none. The Bible Expositional Commentary explains that in the Hebrew text, the psalm ends with the word hoshek which means "darkness."

The psalm reminds me of much of Job's laments. Job also did not understand why he was suffering and needed explanations. He also could not understand where God was (vv. 13-14). Like Job and Jesus, he wondered why God had forsaken him. In Job's case, God finally spoke and used divine sarcasm to question Job's need to have all the answers. God did not question Job's faith or his yearning for God's return to him (those are good things to have and desire); he questioned Job's many many questions. Job found himself needing answers to his questions more than he needed God himself, and this seems to be true of Heman as well.

The good thing is that in all his dark despair, Heman did not give up on God; he did not stop coming to him in prayer. He addressed God as Lord, Jehovah four times in this psalm. Jehovah is the name for God that stresses his covenant relationship with his people. Heman recognized that God was still true to his promises. This gave Heman hope even in his hopelessness.

Sometimes, in the midst of the dark, painful circumstances of our lives, we must hold on to God's promises. We must be a covenant people. We must remember that God has made a covenant with us and we have made a covenant with him, so that when times get tough, we don't give up ... as the world does. We hold onto the covenant, we keep our promises, we trust in Jehovah Jireh, our Lord Provider. Simply put, we trust our God more than we trust our circumstances.

What I like about this psalm is the utter truthfulness we see in Heman's words. The Bible does not hide the reality of suffering and pain and human questioning. We live in a real world with real problems and a lot of things we don't understand--yet. I believe the psalm--and others like it--show God's grace. These words are in God's Word! They are part of his Message to and for us. So what do they tell us? How can they help us to live the lives God wants us to live? They tell us the truth about pain and suffering in this world. God did not cause it, but because he gave us freewill as a wonderful gift, the dark side of that freewill is that we reap some suffering and pain in this life. 

The Good News is that God is still there, though sometimes silent. He walks through the dark valleys with us. And, most importantly, he conquered suffering and death when Jesus died for us on the cross. In the eternal perspective of Life, our momentary suffering will be like a snap of the fingers. Also, and an important point not to miss, our suffering can be redeemed by the Holy Spirit to bring about what only God can do. 

Filled with Power

Today's Bible Passage: Micah 3

Scripture: "But as for me, I am filled with power and the Spirit of the Lord. I am filled with justice and might, fearlessly pointing out Israel's sin and rebellion" (Micah 3:8).

Observation
Micah compares himself to the false prophets and other religious leaders of his time who didn't know right from wrong, hated good and loved evil, treated God as a magic Jeannie, were leading people astray, took advantage of their leadership positions to make money, hated real justice, twisted all that was right, led the people for the bribes they could get, taught the people only for money, and yet claimed they depended on the Lord. Yeah, they were messed up!

Micah, however, was a leader after God's own heart. He led not for what he could get out of it, but out of God's calling on his life. He led out of God's power within him by the indwelling of the Spirit of the Lord, not out of his own limited power, wisdom, or abilities.

Verse 8 brings to mind many other Bible verses, but especially Zechariah 4:6: "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

It also brings to mind the leaders of the early church. In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised power when the Holy Spirit came upon them so that they could be his witnesses from Jerusalem to the whole world. That promise came true in Acts 2:4 when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to boldly proclaim the truth. And it continued as these leaders stayed true to their calling regardless of the circumstances: "[The religious leaders] brought in the two disciples and demanded, 'By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?' Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them ..." (Acts 4:7-8).

The early church leaders knew where their power came from. They knew they could do nothing of any significance apart from Jesus and his Spirit (John 15:5). This is why they were so committed to prayer. Prayer is our "power cord." Prayer is way more powerful than we understand, but the early church knew this: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly" (Acts 4:31).

Application
The power behind, or actually within all true spiritual leadership comes from God's Spirit. We tend to too easily forget this and rely on our own human strength and abilities instead, and we wonder why we are not more effective. The answer is not outside ourselves, it is inside, through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

"As for me, I am filled with the Spirit of the Lord!" That must become my mantra, my constant prayer. Not by my own might or power or abilities, but by the power of his Spirit ... in all I do. As I lead my family, as I lead my group, as I lead in my church, I will seek his wisdom, direction, and power.

Prayer
Thank, you, Father, for your power. You have filled me with power and your Spirit. I am filled with justice and might. By your power I can be fearless and bold to be your witness, to speak your word, to carry out what you have called me to do.

Hosea 14 Prayer

My Father, I confess that going my own way has brought me down. I have suffered the consequences of trying to go my own way without You. So now once again I return to You. Forgive me of my sins and graciously receive me, so that I may offer you a sacrifice of praise.

Government programs can't save me, nor can my own strength or intelligence. Never again will I make a god out of anything or anyone else.

Thank You, Father, for Your love and longsuffering for me. I know that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate me from your love. Thank You for your complete healing of my faithlessness. You, O Lord, are like a refreshing dew from heaven!

Father, deliver me from evil, help me stay away from anything that competes with my devotion to You. You alone are my God. You alone are the One who truly looks after me and cares for me. Your paths, O God, are true and right.