“ Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled
My Soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord – How long?”
(English Standard Version)
Have you ever asked God “How long?” I know that I have done so many times. Usually, I follow this question with the self-directed “Am I doubting God?” Or “Am I being impatient?” If I am feeling more desperate, I plead for Him to hurry up. Then, struggle with guilt for not trusting God’s care ensues.
Thankfully, God has left us a record of His opinion of a man or woman who ventures to ask questions of Him. David was called a “man after God’s own heart,” and in this Psalm he asks bluntly “How long?” Engulfed in some sort of trouble, David indicates that it is both physical and spiritual in nature. Often those two go hand in hand and in the Hebrew mind there really was not a need dwell on such divisions. We are whole beings.
David is directly addressing God and pleading for deliverance from his suffering. Interestingly, it is upon the strong nature of God’s steadfast love that David depends for deliverance. It is for the very reason that God deserves praise from His creatures that he almost seems to challenge God to save him from death and destruction- for who will give the praise due to God if death has swallowed the person up? Here we see a glimpse of hope that God will come through for David.
Yet even in his declaration of the steadfast love of God, David continues to struggle. This is no momentary struggle- not just the proverbial bad day. Instead, he has wept and struggled through many long nights. “How long?” “How long?” “How long?”
In the end, despite the longevity and intensity of the struggle, David ends up assured that God will answer- assurance only secured after the battle between insecurity of the suffering circumstances and confidence in God’s character has been decided.
Now, he can demand that his enemies depart. For he rests knowing that “God has heard [his] plea” and accepted his prayer. This is enough. He is confident that his God will answer in due time. The enemy will be defeated. By the end, faith prevails even though there is no indication that the circumstances have yet resolved.
So, like David, we are free to ask, “How long?” We are free to struggle. Sometimes the struggle will be long and hard. Sometimes we will face the back and forth of faith and despair. But ultimately, we can rest assured that because of His steadfast love for his children He will answer. He will bring us through the struggle to faith. He will make us a people after his own heart. “For the sake of [His] steadfast love. “
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
Amen.
Thank you!