Lenten Reflection 3.2.12

There are those times in life when we feel clearly in distress. It could be a health crisis. It could be a death. It could be a job loss. It could be a societal event like an assassination or the 9/11 attacks. Life will have its problems.

In Psalm 25, the writer refers to problems with enemies, as well as feeling lonely and afflicted. There is a reference to troubles of the heart. The writer is clearly in distress. This is all mentioned in the middle of the psalm. The psalm begins, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust.” And the psalm concludes, “I trust in you.” The psalm begins and ends with God. And not just any God, but the God of steadfast love, faithfulness, and mercy. The writer affirms God’s presence, the presence of strength and hope, in the midst of distress. The writer knows that God is there. The troubles being experienced are not because of God’s absence. There is the sure trust that God is with us in our distress, in our troubles, and through our trials. God does not abandon us when the going gets tough. God can be trusted from beginning to end.

As we think about our lives, the psalmist reminds us that God surrounds us in the midst of our distress. We can trust that divine love and hope will sustain us, even through the worst life can offer. Affirming God’s loving presence prepares us to be open to the help, the support, and the comfort that will come to us when we need it. If we abandon God, we may not be aware of the help that is being presented to us in our dark times.

Think back on some difficult times in your life. Looking back, can you see how you were sustained and brought through so that you can look back? If you feel that you are not connected to God, think about how to cultivate that connection so that it is there for you when times are challenging. Begin with trust in God. End with trust in God. No matter what the circumstances. Let yourself be sustained by love.

Prayer
May our days begin and end with trust in the power and strength of divine love. However dark our situation may be, may we trust that there is a ray of hope. With eyes fixed on that hope, we will be able to see the help that comes our way. We can see beyond the moment to a time of healing and grace. And we can shine that ray of hope for one another. Amen.