https://odb.org/MY/2023/02/24/praying-in-difficult-times
Psalm 61 is an example of a prayer with petitions and yet protests. David proclaimed the greatness of God; the LORD is his refuge and a strong tower against the foe. He asked to be led to the Rock that is higher than him. Yet David also said that he is calling God from the ends of the earth and his heart is growing weary. He called on to God to hear his cry and listen to his prayer. David was not literally at the end of the earth, but because of the situation he was going through (likely at the time, Absalom, his own son, drove him out of the kingdom), he felt so far away from God. His heart was growing weary, faint, and overwhelmed. At this time, David was no longer the young man pursued by Saul but much older, around 60. Thus, he was tired, having to go through the same thing again. He was also sad and distressed that he had to face the rebellion of his own son.
I think if we are facing difficult times, we could lament and protest a little in the presence of God. Just don’t overdo it and don’t turn our backs to Him. The Lord hears our prayers and will respond in His time. Our faith and trust in Him must not waiver. We must not doubt His love for us. We just need to carry on despite the difficulty, despite the uncertain future.
I have been in my new place of work for more than 9 months now. In that period, I witnessed the excitement of being in a startup on one hand and the uncertainty of its future, on the other hand. The mother company is as conservative as it gets, originally a government department. It has, over the years, become a conglomerate, and yet its old mindset is there, and thus, there has been lots of resistance to change. But just a few days back, I was instructed to have a dotted line reporting to the group general counsel, and it may potentially end up as dual reporting. In addition, I will likely be involved in the parent’s M&A exercises. There are new complexities I need to manage if the dual reporting becomes true, but at least the security of the future is much more assured.
The message today is that we must continue to believe in the promises of God for our lives and strive to achieve His plans and purposes. The difficulties we face are just temporal. The uncertainties will be resolved. Jesus hears our prayers even if we petition and protest and lament. Be patient. Things will get better soon. The Lord God is with us all the way!
Ronnie's Thoughts 