Whatever your situation – an unexpected diagnosis, the loss of a job, a family bereavement, financial difficulties, relationship problems – it can be hard to accept and face up to on a human level. Where do you turn? In what, or more importantly, in whom, can you place your trust? Whatever the circumstance, the remedy is the same for every believer who is suffering heartache.
In Psalm 121:1 (ESV), the psalmist describes how he lifts his eyes to the hills as he ponders the question “From where does my help come?” Immediately, he answers himself: “My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (v.2). As I drive out of my street, I catch a glimpse of some hills in the distance. In Scotland, we are blessed with beautiful scenery that reminds us of the Creator. The One who created the whole earth (Genesis 1:1) – including the hills and mountains (Amos 4:13) – also created us and cares for our every need. He will carry us over the mountains of life that are impossible to climb in our own strength. What a comfort to know, in times of trial, that the Creator of the universe – the Lord God who holds it in His hands – also holds us and is in control of everything.
In moments of despair, the psalmist lifts his eyes – and so should we. The same response can be found just a few psalms later, where the writer of Psalm 123 says, “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!” (v.1 ESV). Comfort comes when we look up. We shift our focus from the challenges of the present – the sadness and helplessness caused by our circumstances – and lift our eyes to God in heaven. He knows the bigger picture when we cannot see it, and He has power over it. Our fleshly egos sometimes make us feel entitled to an easy life, to everything going our way. We question why our lives don’t always turn out the way we would choose.
All the disappointments, sadness, and loss that we face on this earth are a direct result of the fall. Sin entered the world in the garden of Eden all those millennia ago (Romans 5:12), and yet, despite our sinful lives, God has chosen to show us mercy. His greatest act of mercy was to give His perfect Son, the Lord Jesus, in our place to secure our eternal salvation (Romans 5:8). As His children, we continue to experience His mercy in the way He guides us in our daily lives. We do not deserve this kindness, yet we have it in abundance – even in the painful moments when we may not feel it.
Where do we turn for help when life gets tough? Often, we are tempted to turn to Google, to friends and family, or sometimes even to physical comforts. Yet none of these can fully satisfy the believer. Time and again in the psalms, we are reminded of God’s help. The word “help” is used forty-two times in the English Standard Version of the Bible, and in many of these references, God is being described as our help. As believers, there is nothing else – and no one else – who can help us in the way He can. With God as our help, even in hardship we can enjoy safety and joy – like the psalmist, who says, “for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings, I will sing for joy” (Psalm 63:7 ESV). God, our help, will see us safely through whatever situation we face.
We are also told in Psalm 121 that God never slumbers or sleeps (v.4). Often, during a trial, our sleep is disrupted through anxious thoughts. But God is always available, no matter the time of day or night. In times of struggle, we should call upon Him and cast all our anxieties on the one who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7 ESV). When we choose to trust God with our trials, He grants us peace and rest in His care. The psalmist writes in Psalm 4:8 (ESV), “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” This safety and comfort cannot be found anywhere else or in anyone else.
Psalm 121 goes on to say that God is our “keeper” and our “shade” (v.5), giving us a clear picture of His protection and provision for us. Whatever trial you are facing, make the choice to turn to Him, to yield to His plans, and to accept Him as your help. Then, when the trial is past, you will be able to say with the writer of the previous psalm, “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me” (Psalm 120:1 ESV).
