Hurting Hearts and Struggling Souls - Part 5

God is able to help hurting hearts and sustain struggling souls. In addition to responding to the prayers of His children for such help, God also gives help through the Bible. The author of Psalm 119 was in affliction and misery, but he was comforted in his difficulty by the renewing power of the Bible. "This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me" (119:50). This man enjoyed new life, new hope, and a refreshed spirit because of the Word of God.

"The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart" (Psalm 19:7-8). Exposure to the Bible brings both restoration and joy to man's internal parts. The Bible is wholesome and healthful by nature, imparting health, vitality, and rebuilding. It is pleasing because it is correct, straightforward, and right; satisfaction comes in knowing that what one reads is dependable and reliable.

Even in the very worst of circumstances, God can provide comfort. "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). The comfort, connected with God's presence, is specifically attributed to God's guiding and correcting. The Bible fills these roles well.

The help of the Bible is supernatural, but it isn't mystical. Rather, the help comes when a person looks into the Bible and seeks truth about God. It is necessary to deliberately focus on and think about the Bible's truth. When David was in the wilderness, "in a dry and weary land where there [was] no water" (Psalm 63:1), he related his physical thirst to spiritual thirst. His soul thirsted and yearned for God. David may not have found immediate satisfaction for his physical thirst, but his spiritual thirst was quenched. "My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness" (63:5). Although satisfaction may have seemed impossible, David identifies how it was achieved. "When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches" (63:6). The satisfaction of his soul came when he deliberately thought about God and remembered what God was like. He remembered the times of going into God's house. He remembered God's power, glory, and lovingkindness. He remembered God's help in the past. When David earnestly focused on God in this way, his soul was satisfied, even though his condition had not changed.

David was delivered from fear when he remembered who God is. David stated, "My heart will not fear" (27:3). His help came in remembering that God was his light, salvation, and defense. David remembered God's past deliverances. He remembered the promises of God. He remembered God's commitment to care and provide. Remembering brought trust and prayer and help.

In Psalm 30, David speaks of a great transformation. "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing" (30:11). As David moves through the psalm, he recalls a pattern of God's deliverance through multiple situations. He remembers great victories, followed by temporary stability and then renewed crisis. Each time David called, God gave him strength and another deliverance. David acknowledges the reality of life's difficulties, but he sees that God generates relief. Such knowledge leads David to praise. He anticipates new deliverance when his heart will again be brought to rejoicing. "That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent" (30:12).  Remembering who God is includes remembering His past help.

Psalm 107 includes the story of people who were wandering in a desert wilderness, unable to find their way to any settlement where they could obtain help. The wanderers were hungry and thirsty with fainting souls. When they cried to God, He showed them the path to take to safety and provision. He also satisfied the thirst and filled the hunger of the fainting soul. "He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good" (107:9). God met their immediate physical need, but He also met their deeper and more important spiritual need.

God can enable someone with a hurting heart to have improved emotions even in the midst of the troubling time. There is also an aspect of rejoicing that comes when God delivers, as in Psalm 64. David's life was in danger as his enemies planned ambushes and set traps. They maligned and attacked David with their words. They conspired to destroy him. David had reason to be troubled in his spirit, but he looked forward confidently to God's protection and deliverance. It was the victorious conclusion that would make David's heart glad, and his joy would be shared by others who observed. "Then all men will fear, and they will declare the work of God, and will consider what He has done. The righteous man will be glad in the LORD... and all the upright in heart will glory" (64:9-10). While God certainly can give a measure of joy during the trial, there is logically an increased level of joy when the trial ends - the special joy of deliverance and relief. It is perfectly appropriate and natural that joy will be somewhat reserved while the trial is occurring and that the fullest joy will come with the victory.

A similar response happened in Psalm 126. The children of Israel had been captive in a foreign land. Separated from their homeland, they had experienced captivity, servitude, and tears. Then God reversed their situation so dramatically that it seemed like a dream. "Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting" (126:2). When they realized what had happened, that "the LORD [had] done great things for them," they became glad (126:3). They laughed and shouted with joy. The overwhelming joyous response was because of the wonder of God's restoration.

The Bible is the place to find God's help. It reminds one of truth about the God of help. Remembering this great God's deliverance is encouraging and strengthening. Joy also comes through actual victories when man consciously identifies Who brings the victory.