Remember the Lord in the Day of Trouble (Psalm 77) Devotion #1
I’ve been there, and I bet you have too. There are times in life when we are overcome with sorrow. We can feel crushed under the weight of it all. In Psalm 77, the psalmist doesn’t hold back; he cries out to God day and night, his hands stretched out, but peace seems elusive. “I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted” (Psalm 77:1-2, ESV). His soul won’t be comforted, his spirit faints, and words fail him.
When sorrow hits we have a tendency to distract ourselves. We get busy with work, hobbies, or even good deeds. And we do all this to avoid the pain and anxieties. For my own part, ADHD kicks in to overdrive and I’ll do everything but go to the Lord in prayer. That is the wrong approach. The psalmist shows us the right path: take it to the Lord, even when it hurts. Questioning God’s goodness? Wondering if He cares? That’s okay—bring those doubts to Him. As Charles Spurgeon wisely said, “Great griefs are dumb,” but crying out to God is the first step in our recovery.
Today, if you’re in that pit, don’t run from prayer. Pour out your heart to the One who hears. Remember, Christ Himself cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, ESV), bearing our sorrows so we could find ultimate comfort in Him. Lord, help us turn to You first in our troubles, knowing You hear and will sustain us. Amen.