Hey church,
I know that many of you have spent time in a foreign land at the behest of the government in the past, or are even there right now. There is also an incredible number of you that have had your close family go overseas while you manned the fort here at home. Those who have gone over and those who have stayed behind have sacrificed in many ways, almost all unseen and unknown by others to this day. There is much emotion tied to those far off lands that still sits deeply today.
When we say it is okay to not be okay, we mean that. As a result of the recent fall of Afghanistan I have found myself struggling with the same emotions of rage, hate, depression, and hopelessness that I first felt upon my return from that country more than a decade ago. I handled that return by hiding in a bottle, stuffing my emotions inside, and abandoning the faith. This time of trouble however, I have not gone to the bottle (although the temptation is strong) but to the only source of truth, and that is the Bible. No matter what the news says, or the opinions of others, it is only the words of Scripture that can be held to with utmost confidence.
In this time, I have just sat in Psalm 63 because I can tell myself these following truths when they are hard for me to see or believe right now as I wade through the returning emotions. I pray that they may be helpful to you, someone you know, or just a reminder about how awesome Jesus is.
V.1- O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. The recognition that He is not only God, but that He is MY God. He is the Transcendent God that is also interested in the lives and emotions of His creation, especially His Children. He is the only one I can run to find the satisfaction my soul needs, and the one I need to run to during hardship.
V.2- So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. While I have not seen God in His “sanctuary” I have seen the wonderous world He created. The power He has to have made the heavens and the earth is unfathomable, I can’t make anything and He made everything. And He continues to SUSTAIN His creation. While I see chaos and a waste of many things, He is still Sovereign over it all. The beauty all over His creation is just an indicator of how glorious He is.
V.3-4- Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. A reminder that His steadfast love IS better than life, because He is life and I have life in Him through Jesus. My lack of faith, or difficulty processing the events of this world does not reduce his love for me. Rather it amplifies His love because He, the creator God of the Universe, meets me where I am. Even in the midst of heartache and despair, I can and should praise Him because He is worthy. It is in and through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that I am spiritually alive to be able to praise Him.
V.5- My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,.. I have been through the deep, dark crevasses of despair, and I know the joy of coming through the other side because of the hope that I have in Jesus. He is the only one who can satisfy the deep longings within me. Just like my physical body is perfectly satisfied with a hearty medium-rare steak, a loaded baked potato, and a glass of sweet tea, my soul is perfectly satisfied as I turn to Jesus and His word and remind myself that the gospel is not just good news unto salvation, it is also good news for believers every day.
V.6-8- …when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. I am to think back and remember time and again all the things that Jesus has done for me and how it was Him that brought me out of hard times before. Jesus is the Good Shepherd that walks through the darkest valleys with me, and His word is there to comfort me with the truth when I can’t see. It is His guiding word that reminds me that I am not alone, and I am safe trusting in Him. I can sing for joy in the midst of darkness because I know that while there is light on the other side that I look forward to, Jesus is with me here and now. He is God in the good times, and He is God in the hard times. The more I cling to Him during dark periods, the more I learn that it is Him who holds me, sustains me, and cares for me.
V.9-11- But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped. Jesus wins. I am not being hunted like David was in this psalm, but I feel as though I am in an emotional wilderness. God is sovereign and just, compassionate and merciful, and as the Sovereign of the universe He has the final say. The Bible tells us that Jesus came to conquer sin and death through his life, death, and resurrection. His ascension to be at the right hand of the father to intercede for us until His return, and the peace I have through the Holy Spirit reminds me that this world is not my home. Jesus not only wins in the future, but He has already won. I can trust wholly in Him.
If you are struggling, it does not matter whether it is the fall of Afghanistan or not, it could be depression, cancer, the loss of a baby, or any other cause for hurt. I want you to know you are not alone. There are men and women within this family that would love to come alongside you during this time, walk with you through your hurt, and help you see how the good news of the gospel of Jesus applies to your life in the midst of the hurt.
For the fame of Jesus,
Kyle McFarland | Pastor of Veritas Church