“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” - Psalm 130:1-2
Suffering is part of being human. True Christians know the first line of this verse all too well. How do you respond when you are in the depths of suffering? Resist the urge to stay in the depths and do not allow yourself to remain there. The Psalm instructs us to pray when it says, “I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice!” God does hear your prayer when you cry out to him. No suffering goes unnoticed. Once you have prayed, and cried out from the depths of your suffering, remember Paul’s instructions to the Philippians:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Whether you’re feeling anxious, depressed, or you’re in the midst of an intense season of suffering, bring yourself back to Psalm 130:1-2 and pray to the Lord. Remember to focus on the things that Paul instructed the Philippian church to focus on as well! Take heart Christian, the Good Shepherd knows your voice!