WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Thank God that he is with us even when we feel most alone.

Meaning what we pray
Sometimes our prayers are not as real as they might be. When we pray in public we may feel under pressure to say what is expected rather than what we actually mean. Here the psalmist gets straight to the point: where is God when life is tough (v 1)?

It is easy enough in the safety of a church service to sing that ‘our God reigns’ (v 16), but when we read the newspaper or face problems nearer home the world appears to be at the mercy of unscrupulous people (vs 2–11).

Trusting God with the truth
Rather than murmuring pious platitudes, the psalmist takes up his cause with God, calling on him to act (v 12). Even as he pours out his frustration he comes to the deeper realisation that God has not abandoned him (v 14a) and that God is ultimately in control (vs 16,17).

Pretending that all is well when it is not helps neither ourselves nor others who, listening to our false confidence, feel more alone with their own struggles. If when praying we forget to worry about what we should feel and tell God what we really want to say, it helps to put everything into perspective, learning to trust God not only to help us in our trouble but also to love us as we are, weaknesses, doubts and frustrations included.

Committing ourselves in that weakness to him (v 14b) is the real way to find security.

Respond: What do you really want to say to God today?

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-03-04