This past year brought about a lot of uncertainty in my once seemingly steady and stable life. Changes in work situations lead to the possibility of cross-country moves, school adjustments, church searches, and many other uncertainties. There were days in the thick of the unknown that felt dark, unsearchable, and riddled with anxiety. All the “what if” questions began to consume me, filling my mind with horrible possibilities of making the worse decision of my life.
One morning in my attempt to surrender these life altering decisions to God, He prompted me to ask different “what if” questions. Questions like, “What if the new job is better than the old? What if your son finds his life-long best friend at his new school? What if you meet an amazing new friend that loves Jesus as much as you do?”
By asking these upside down “What if” questions, God was forcing me to focus on Him, His character, His love, and His care for me. So I began thinking, “what if my next major life change or decision leads to something amazing?”
Psalm 42- Taking Your Questions to God
This week in our Summer in the Psalm series we will study Psalm 42. Like me, the psalmist here is asking some tough questions, struggling with discouragement, and searching for answers.
Read Psalm 42.
Psalm 42 (NLT)
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”
4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.
9 “O God my rock,” I cry,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?”
10 Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!
Write down you answers to the following questions.
- What questions did the psalmist ask?
- What is the author feeling? Why?
- How does the psalmist respond to his questions and emotions?
Uncertainty is Universal but God is Unchanging
We see the psalmist is deeply troubled over his current circumstances. He describes his days and nights as full of tears (vs. 3) and he is broken-hearted (vs. 4). On top of that he is being taunted by those around him, questioning his choices and decision to follow God (vs. 3).
The writer repeatedly asks, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” He is distraught that his circumstances have so strongly altered his thoughts and feelings.
But notice how the author responds to his wayward heart. He speaks what he knows to be true.
The psalmist starts Psalm 42 declaring his desire for God, comparing it to a deer’s need for water (vs. 1). After he shares his questions and doubts, he reminds himself that his hope is in God and goes on to praise Him for salvation (vs. 5). Finally, the author likens his circumstances to a raging storm, consuming him but then he remembers the unfailing love of God which results in him praising and praying through the night.
The psalmist does not ignore or dismiss his questions, depression, or discouragement. Instead, he takes them to God. Every time the writer feels the darkness of doubt upon him, he preaches to himself the character of God.
- God gives me what I need for life itself (vs. 1, 8)
- God is my hope (vs. 5, 11)
- God is my salvation (vs. 5, 11)
- God pours his unfailing love over me every day (vs. 8)
- God is my rock and foundation (vs. 9)
When I was consumed by all my “what if” questions, God simply replied, “Trust me. I’m here. I’ve got this.”
I can report now that the dust has settled on these life decisions. Most of the “what ifs” did not occur. I can say with confidence that God has orchestrated every detail blessing me in ways I could never have imagined. He loves me, cares for me, and I’ll put my hope in Him forever.
What truths about God does your heart need to be reminded of today? Are there “what if” questions you need to surrender to Him?
Additional Resources:
This is post three in the Summer in the Psalms series. If you missed the first two posts, you can read them here: Summer in the Psalms Week One: Psalm 1 and Summer in the Psalms Week Two: Psalm 25