Where will you go in the day of trouble?
The death of a child. The crumbling of a career. The disintegration of a marriage. The constant financial stress.
Our natural tendency in these difficult times is to be introspective, looking to oneself for comfort and joy. Questions then come to flood our minds: “What if I responded in a different way?” or “How can I possibly have strength to make it through this trial?”
When the Psalmist Asaph went through the day of trouble, he instinctively turned inward. This lead to skeptical questions about God’s goodness: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?” (Psalm 77:7-8, ESV).
Don’t miss what is happening here. Asaph, growing consumed with the perceived largeness of his own trials, began to view God as being small and impotent. He questioned his goodness and steadfast love.
The problem with looking to oneself in the midst of trouble is that the trials get disproportionately overblown in comparison with the Source of Hope. We look to ourselves, but we cannot save ourselves. We grow infatuated with the depth of our problems, but this analysis will never be a rope that will get one out of the slough of despair.
To get a clear focus on reality, Asaph turns to remember what God has done in the past: “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11). Despite his circumstances, Asaph resolved to look outside of himself to the only true hope. His remembrance of God’s past good deeds became an anchor to his soul that God would again act to steady his spirit in the midst of this storm.
We can only get true hope by looking to God. He alone can save. And in those times when God seems distant, resolve to set your mind on God’s gracious and loving acts in the past. Knowing God's loving acts in the past gives hope that he will be loving in the future.
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