Admit It

The psalmists weren’t afraid to admit when they were afraid. They even talked about feeling abandoned by God. Some of my favorite psalms are those that cry out desperately to God. You can feel the writers’ authenticity. You can feel their struggle. It’s easy for me to relate to what was going on with them. These psalms remind me that God is not against our honesty. He knows what is on our hearts anyway (Psalm 139:1-4), and He invites us to tell Him when we are afraid or when we are feeling alone. When Jesus was in agony on the cross, He cried out in the words of Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46). In the same way, we can be honest with God. We can also talk to others about the way we feel. When we are frustrated with life, when we feel like God has abandoned us, it’s important that we reach out to other Christians who will listen to us and pray with us. As the body of Christ, we are called to encourage one another and remind each other that God is trustworthy and compassionate. Like the psalmists, we all go through struggles. At times, we find ourselves wondering why God is doing the things He is doing. In these times, the psalms can give us words to express our hearts to God, and they can help us remember His goodness and praise Him again. We don’t need to be afraid to ask for help, prayer, and encouragement when we need it. Like the psalmists, we can be honest with God, and with one another. • Bethany Acker • Can you think of a time you felt discouraged, alone, or afraid? Did you feel like you could talk to God during that time? Why or why not? • Who are trusted Christians in your life you can be honest with about what you’re going through? And how can you be a good friend to others when they are struggling? For you, Lord, rescued me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. Psalm 116:8 (CSB)

Read Verses:

Psalm 88; Psalm 116:3-Psalm 116:6