How Long?

This morning I'm reminded once again of how like children we are when it comes to our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Like children on a long trip, we keep asking, "Are we there yet?"  "How much farther?"  "How long is it going to take us?"

This morning when I asked God if there was a passage He wanted me to look at, the verse that came to me was the first verse of Psalm 13: "How long will You forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" It continues in verse 2 - "How long must I lay up cares within me and have sorrow in my heart day after day?  How long shall my enemy exalt himself over me?"  I guess I've been feeling this way a bit about my struggle with weight loss.  How long is it going to take?! I want it to be immediate - but of course these things take time.  I have to be willing to make the changes even though I don't see immediate results.  Sometimes I'm so much like a 2-year old.  If I eat right one day, I expect to have lost weight by morning, and if I haven't I feel like eating right isn't working!  How foolish and short-sighted of me.

In this short 6-verse Psalm that was written by David, I see him also struggling with impatience.  It also looks like he may be struggling with depression as I read in in the next two verses. "Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; lighten the eyes [of my faith to behold Your face in the pitchlike darkness], lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lest my enemy say, I have prevailed over him, and those that trouble me rejoice when I am shaken."

The last two verses take a decided turn in tone.  "But I have trusted, leaned on, and been confident in Your mercy and loving-kindness; my heart shall rejoice and be in high spirits in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me."  

Is it possible there's a prescription hidden in this Psalm - one that can help me not only deal with impatience, but even with depression if it comes up? I decide to look more closely to see if I can spot a hidden "happiness prescription". 

I find a step by step guideline:

1. Share my feelings with God - Clearly the first thing is to start is to cry out to God as David did here.  I'm realizing as I write this that allowing myself to wallow in impatience can be a first step to depression.  As I think back on my life I realize that I've seen that progression several times.  Instant gratification is not always possible and often would not be best for me.  I have to be willing to trust God no matter how long things seem to be taking!  Crying out to God about what I'm feeling - no matter how petty it may seem - is a first step to remembering to trust. This is what I see David doing here in the first couple of verses.
2. Remember God's power and willingness - Verses 3 and 4 take on a slightly different tone.  Though David is still in distress, he's remembering that not only can God lift his spirits (lighten his eyes) and increase his faith. He also reminds himself that God has reasons to do so beyond his love for David.  David serves as an example to his enemies.
3. Remember how I've trusted in the past and how well it's turned out - Clearly as David remembered how he had trusted in the past, he realized God would indeed save him from his current troubles.  
4. Make a CHOICE for joy - David says,  "my heart shall rejoice" BEFORE things had changed for him in the outer world. He isn't saying, "My heart is rejoicing, at the way you've saved me" - but rather, my heart WILL rejoice."  This is a choice he makes as memories of God's leading in the past and knowledge of God's love help him shift his thinking and help him KNOW that God has things under control - in His timing.
5. Start singing! - David ends by saying, "I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me." I have found songs of praise - sung aloud - to be a marvelous way to shift my mood from impatience or discouragement to joy.  There is something PHYSICAL that happens as I sing praises that is very powerful. And songs of praise can be a powerful way to remind myself of God's love and the way he's blessed my life.

Father, thank you for reminding me this morning of how dangerous impatience can be.  I am so grateful to you for your love and guidance! I am so grateful I can trust you with my life.  I am so glad nothing takes YOU by surprise - that you have always prepared for it and that I can trust that ALL things work together for good.  Thank you for healing according to YOUR time table.  May I be willing to be obedient and patient.  Thank you for such unconditional love, that continues loving me no matter how whiny I get when the trip seems longer than I had wanted!  May I choose joy and singing instead of impatience, enjoying the journey as special time spent with you.  Thank you, Father!