“From Darkness to Light”
As we count down the first full week of 2018, I want to complete the series, “Fresh New Year, New You.” The reality for many people is that the start of the New Year is not necessarily a happy one. Maybe that’s true for you. Maybe you’re starting 2018 with trouble. It could look like loneliness or deep inner turmoil, or poor health. Something has given out, blown out, or broken out. Maybe you’re starting 2018 in a pit of financial debt, or your son or daughter is seriously struggling; there’s trouble in your family; relationships are strained. Maybe it’s emotional illness or chemical dependency. If you find yourself starting the New Year with a burdened heart and life seems dark, perhaps today's post will offer you some hope.
Trust The Lord
If you don’t know who or what to trust in this season of discontentment, let me remind you, THE LORD IS TRUSTWORTHY. One of the first sensibilities we lose in a season of trouble is hope for the future. As I write this, I’m in my 7th full day of “the crud.” I’m talking about INFLUENZA. I’m struck with how easily sickness leads to depression. I know intellectually that the fever, coughing, headache, and sleeplessness will not last forever, but my feelings say "Yikes, will this never end?!" It seems like I’ve gone through the five stages of grief at the speed of light: denial, anger, bargaining, depression! Oh, forget about acceptance! No way! I hate this! The flu is head-banging irritating! It's inconvenient! It's physically, emotionally and spiritually draining! (My wife tells me I’m not a good sick person!—huh?)
We're frail and sometimes it's the little trials that throw us off more quickly. Regardless of the trouble (big or small), the cure is the truth found in Psalm 25! David takes us on a roller-coaster ride of thoughts and emotions in this Psalm.
He starts out by reaffirming his faith in what must have been a troubling time for him, vv. 1-2…
1 O Lord, I give my life to you. 2 I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
David begins by reaffirming his trust in the Lord. Regardless of how David was feeling, he made the decision to tap the trustworthy nature of God: “O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you my God!” Life may stink at the moment, but God
is still worthy of your trust! Any current trouble you may be facing today does not change the trustworthiness of God. The Lord’s love, compassion, wisdom, and power doesn’t suddenly become less when trouble becomes greater! Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” If this truth has somehow escaped you, grab it and drive it as a stake in the ground of your trouble! Trust the Lord in your season of darkness. It starts there!
The Language of Pain
David appeals to the Lord in the second part of v. 2, “Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.” Practically speaking, the word “enemies” in v. 2 can be a person or people who oppose you, but it can also be the “enemies” of disease, depression, doubt, anger, illness, broken relationships, or any area of sin—they can all be our enemies. But our greatest enemy is Satan and his lies and deception (More about that in a moment). Here’s a paraphrase of what David was saying in vv. 1-2…
“Lord, don't let me be embarrassed by the fact that I trust you even though I’m drowning in trouble; people look at my circumstances and say, ‘Where is your God?’ Lord, this trouble, this enemy, is more than happy to increase my helplessness, discouragement, and loneliness—Don't let it Lord! Don’t let me down!”
Bold prayer! This is not a prayer that lacks faith. It’s a prayer spoken in the language of pain and urgency. It’s real and from the gut and full of faith in the trustworthiness of God.
Look In the Rearview Mirror!
David is absolutely convinced that to all who trust God, God will deliver. He believes the Lord is merciful because he's proven himself to be merciful in David's past, vv. 3-6…
3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
4 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. 5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. 6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.
If you have walked with the Lord long enough, you know that you can look back to times in your life where the Lord has shown up in a big way. Remember those events that only God could orchestrate? Hopefully, you come to the same conclusion as David, “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced…all day long I put my hope in you.” It’s interesting that David saw himself faced with many roads to take in life. And in that moment, he was on a road strewn with trouble. So, he says to his trustworthy Lord, “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.” David is moving forward with God, but also checking the rear-view mirror to remember how God was faithful to lead, guide and direct his life in the past.
If you’re on a road of trouble, don't forget to look where you’ve come from. Be reminded of God’s many acts of faithfulness in your past. You and God have a history together. He's traveled the road with you. He's directed your path before and he will put you on the right road again today.
Dark Night of the Soul
Here’s the thing, if you’re going through the dark night of your soul and hope is fleeting, you’re become vulnerable in your effort to make sense of both life and God. Let me show you from v. 5, three ways you can let light into those dark times:
1) Allow God to lead you through his truth. This is so important—what does the Bible say is true and right and good? How can you cooperate with God in his desire to teach you in times of trouble? In God’s Kingdom, ignorance is not bliss. God’s truth is found in the scriptures; ignorance of that truth will hurt your faith and keep your heart in darkness. Open the Bible, read it, believe it, be obedient to it. God’s truth will bring light to your darkness.
2) Turn first to God rather than people, places or things. v. 5 says, “you are the God who saves me.” God is in the saving business—not only eternal salvation through faith in Jesus, but the power to save you from daily trouble. That doesn’t mean he takes away every trouble from your life. In my experience, God will do one of the following: Remove the source of your trouble—OR—Allow the trouble to continue, and instead help you to endure as he teaches you more about himself. Yes, family and friends, medicine and technology, doctors and lawyers, are needed during your times of trouble, but turn to the Lord first, not as a last desperate leap.
3) Daily put your hope in God. David said in v. 5, “All day long I put my hope in you.” We are never more human than when we’re discouraged and troubled. And because it’s so easy to lose perspective in the dark night of your soul, throughout the day, put your hope in God for a better day, for help, for resolution; for something good to come from your difficulty.
The Real Enemy
Now, I said earlier that a way through the days of trouble and the dark night of the soul is to allow God to lead you through his truth. Read what David wrote in vv. 7, 16-18…
7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.
16 Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. 17 My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! 18 Feel my pain and see my trouble. Forgive all my sins.
Isn't it interesting that when David is desperate, alone and discouraged, he’s also concerned about his past sin? No doubt he's confessed many times. But, he has also felt the ravages of his sin firsthand, and in the dark night of his soul, he’s tormented by his past moral failures.
I can tell you this. When you’re down, the Devil is no friend! He’s no gentleman. He'll kick you when you're down! One of his cheap shots is to get you to play "Name That Sin!" just to see you squirm again from things you’ve done wrong in your past.
At some of the lowest points of your life, the devil will drudge up the garbage of your past. He'll say, “The reason you're in this fix is that you’re a rotten person; look at all the stupid things you’ve done.” This is why David asked for God’s best when Satan was doing his worse. “Lord, turn to me and have mercy.” If 2018 has brought with it all kinds of trouble for you, don’t add to it by beating yourself up for past failures and sin (that God has already forgiven). Instead, remember God’s mercy. Remember his willingness to save you in your times of deep distress.
Next Step
1. Are you in a dark night and loosing hope? Tell the Devil to take a hike and invite your Lord of mercy to direct your path today.
2. Stop bringing up old sin. Jesus died on the cross to obliterate that sin. He has already taken it upon himself, nailed it dead and paid the penalty for it!
3. Today, make God your first stop for mercy, direction, power, and compassion.
