“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?” Psalm 6:3
"How long, Lord, how long” is the cry of a soul in deep anguish. It is the cry of a person who never thought they would have to go through this much pain and suffering. They never thought they would have to bear this crushing burden on their shoulders for so long. It hurts. They want out. They want relief. But it is not coming on their timing.
Sometimes it feels as though God is not on the same timeline that we are. We want the pain gone immediately. We want to avoid all suffering altogether. But often the burdens we face are not lifted immediately. And often, there is no simple answer a person could give as to why. There may be a purpose beyond what we would ask or imagine. God’s understanding stretches beyond what we can comprehend.
David is modeling what we should all do in such seasons of anguish. We should come to God in openness and trust and talk to him about it. It’s ok to tell him we don’t like it. It’s healthy to share our pain with him. And in having that kind of honest connection with God, there is a peace in just knowing that He knows, cares, empathizes, and He is with us.
If your trust is in the Lord, I do know at least part of the answer to this question. If you find yourself asking the question, “How long, Lord?,” I do know part of the answer. It won’t be forever. There will come a day when God wipes away every tear, lifts every burden, and heals every hurt. Hold on to this hope and hold on to Jesus in the meantime. You are not alone. You are loved and God is with you. I pray you experience the Lord shouldering the burden right beside you.