The Comeback Kid

Posted on Feb 14, 2018 by Anna Thoreson in Devotions |

“Therefore my heart is glad.” (Psalm 16:9 NIV)

I’ve got to tell you, I’ve struggled to maintain a glad heart lately. I keep looking at the world through tear-stained glasses. There are so many battles on any given day, heaps of hurt that can’t be shared, only silently witnessed by our Lord and Savior. Circumstances seem to plow through my life in this season and leave another dark scar. I’m having a hard time staying glad. I’m having a hard time staying grateful.

Over and over again, I am encouraged by David. His psalms ricochet along the hard path of life with me. He ping-pongs from rage and despair to earnest assurance and absolute trust. He is human. He is hurting. He is trying to trust. He is me. The cares of the world make contact; and he and I, and I suspect you, also, bruise and bleed and break but we always get back to the truth.

“because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm‬ ‭16:10-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

David was the comeback kid because no matter how hard the world smacked him around, he always came back to what he knew that he knew about God. David was the comeback kid because while he felt what he felt, he trusted God over and around and through those feelings. David was the comeback kid because he allowed the upturned earth of his life to become fine furrows for planting; and the fields borne in his agony have become resting places for millions.

Isn’t that our desire, also?

That the places of deep pain would become places of deep producing?

That God would redeem our ugly into something beautiful and Kingdom honoring?

That our hurts would be transformative?

We wish we didn’t wander at all, but at least like David, we can choose not to wander long. The truth of God’s Word will always chase and down and clean our glasses if we’ll give our Lord time and space to do so. We can be a comeback kid, also.

Lord; forgive us for our feelings. We know they betray and mislead. Let us bring them to Your Word. Wash our lenses today, help us see what You see and speak what You speak. Remind us again that pain is passing, but faith in You is forever. Help us, hold us, right our hearts as we push bravely into another day. Amen.