God Rescues You From The Emotional Depths

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40:1-2

Adventure movies often have a “quicksand scene.” Someone steps into a “pool” of this mysterious, mucky mess and begins to sink. The more he or she struggles, the worse the situation becomes. In the end, victims survive or not, depending on whether they are good guys or bad. But for the “quicksand scene” to be believable, any survivors will have to be rescued. Everyone knows you don’t get out of such a mess on your own.

This is the picture in Psalm 40. David reports the helplessness and hopelessness he felt in the midst of an unspecified trial. Despair is remarkably like being up to one’s chest in quicksand. Struggling does no good. In fact, struggling may only make a bad situation worse.

Our only escape from such despair is calling out to God and waiting for him to rescue us. This makes for some dark moments, but if like David, we can bring to mind what we know to be true of the Lord, we will survive to face the next adventure.

GOD’S PROMISE TO ME
• I hear your cry.

• I will deliver you from despair.

• I will give you stability.

MY PRAYER TO GOD
Lord, you see me and hear me when I have lost all hope. Remind me that I need to wait patiently for you and let you deliver me. You are the one who lifts me out of the pit of despair.