Coping with pain and suffering

Psalms 6:2-3

2)  Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

3)  My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

At first reading this is one of the most depressing psalms of all time. It sounds like Job had it easy. In fact David may have written this psalm to summarize the events of Job’s life.  But in reality this is a psalm of encouragement. Are you in physical pain, emotional pain, or psychological pain? David was when writing this psalm. Do you feel depressed, even suicidal ? It looks like David was. Are you grieving endlessly, unable to cope anymore? David had turned his bed into a water bed from crying so much.

The question we face is not, how do we solve our visible problems, but how we let that affect our relationship with God. David is certain his attitude had displeased God and is pleading to be accepted with mercy. There is no trial that is not covered by the emotional summary of personal disaster given here, and yet it concludes with a certainty that God has heard our prayer. Like Job, there is no complaint of what God has, or has not done, only the plea of a contrite heart.

God does hear as we weep, he will receive our prayer, our supplication, and he will shame those that mock us. Have you let your situation destroy your relationship with God, or will you use it as an opportunity to seek him more?