Frankie Mazzapica - How Long Must I Struggle
Thank you for tuning in today. My name is Frankie Mazzapica. The title of today’s message is «How Long Will I Struggle?» There are seasons where the struggle is very short—just a few days; it’s a bad day, and you get out of it pretty quickly. But then there are certain struggles that go on for several days, weeks, or even months. Many of us have carried struggles that last for years. David was experiencing that very same thing, and he is saying to the Lord, «How long do I have to struggle?» He then gets incredibly transparent and uses words I would not have thought of. But when I hear his words, I think, «Yes, that’s how I feel too.»
The chapter we are going to study today has only six verses. But when I share the chapter, you may think, as I did when I read it, that it feels like it was written by two different people. At the beginning of the chapter, David is lamenting, complaining, and struggling. But then, just four verses later, he is rejoicing, making it seem like two people wrote it—one for the first half and another for the second half. How can one person experience such a dichotomy of emotions so quickly? Let me dive right into it. It’s in Psalms chapter 13. I’ll share with you verses 2, 3, and then the very last verse, which is verse 6.
David says this: «How long, Lord, will you forget me? Have you ever been there? God, how long will you forget me forever? How long will you look the other way? How long will I have to struggle with anxiety or anxiousness in my soul? How long will I feel sorrow in my heart? Am I going to have to experience it every single day?» He goes on to say, «How long will my enemy have the upper hand?» Then we jump to the very last verse: «But I will trust in God’s unfailing love.» Now here’s the kicker—the last few words: «And I will rejoice because He has rescued me.» I want to say, «Yes, God has rescued you!» But I can’t help but think, «Whoa, whoa, whoa—before we throw confetti in the air, how did you get from here to there?» Are you with me? Say yes. Come on, are you with me? Say yes. Yes!
Let me unpack this with three major points. The first point is that David said «how long» four times in a row—in four sentences. When Presley and Luke were growing up, there was this cartoon I remember. It was like, «Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I can’t really wait much longer!» I can’t remember if it was the Backyardigans or something else, but they were sitting in the back seat asking, «Are we there yet?» It’s like, «How long?»
So, the first point is going to be «how long?» We’re going to talk about that. The second point is, «How long will my enemy have the upper hand?» The third point will discuss how we got to the rejoicing moment. So, how long? How long? How long? How long am I going to live feeling lost? How long am I going to have to hide my depression, my addiction? How long am I going to have to wait for my finances to change? How long? How long is this season going to be?
I want to say that these seasons can be excruciatingly long. Seasons that are extraordinarily difficult have the power to change the trajectory of your life. I’m not suggesting that we should suddenly start enjoying them, but how we respond in difficult seasons determines whether we move forward or fall backward. There are two thoughts that arise when we’re wondering how long we’ll be in a particular struggle. The first thought is, «How did I get here? Did I say something or do something that put me in this tormenting season?» Oftentimes, the answer is yes, I put myself here. My life is chaotic, and I’m struggling because I put myself here.
Then there’s the other category where you didn’t put yourself there; you are a victim. Somebody else pushed you there. They inflicted pain on you. You’re not in this season due to any wrongdoing on your part. You just found yourself in the middle of a battle or fight, and you didn’t even pick the fight. Are you with me? Let me talk about both scenarios.
In the first scenario where you say, «I put myself here,» it’s a crucial moment because it can completely change your relationship with the Lord. It can help you begin to feel momentum with God in a greater way than you ever have before. When you realize you put yourself there, you say to the Lord, «God, if you will rescue me, I promise for the rest of my life I won’t allow myself to go back here again. If you will help me, Lord, this is a line in the sand for me; I’m not going back.» Have you ever said that before? «I’m not going back to that!»
When you decide to draw a line in the sand—saying to God, «I will not go back to that lifestyle"—your relationship with Him instantly elevates. You have closed the last chapter and entered a new one. Oftentimes, people stay in the same chapter for far too long. But it’s that moment when you step back and say, «Rescue me, and this is over.» Now, in the second category, where you wake up in a situation you didn’t choose, you might ask, «How long do I have to be here? I didn’t do anything wrong; I just woke up, and things have changed.» This is also a pivotal moment that can transform your relationship with God. You’re keenly aware of all the emotions you’re feeling. You’re aware that you’re struggling or even getting depressed.
Many of us have said, «God, if you get me out of this situation, I promise I will look for people who feel what I’m feeling and are struggling as I am. I will commit my life to helping them because I know what this feels like.» Are you with me? This is critical because once again, this can change your relationship with the Lord.
I know what it feels like to be addicted to drugs, and I’m going to draw a line; I’m done with it. I will look for people who are struggling, and I’m going to help them out. I’m not going to cry any longer about loss in my life; I’m drawing a line. It won’t ever stop hurting, but now I’m going to look for people who have experienced loss, so I can guide them through it. These are critical moments with the Lord when you say, «How long, how long, how long?» These are significant moments drawing lines in the sand and recognizing your assignment. Where you have been hurt are the exact areas where you can help others.
Now let’s discuss the enemy having the upper hand. How long will they be stronger? How long will they have the advantage? I don’t know about you, but I’ve experienced many seasons where I feel like I’m losing—not just in one area of my life, but in multiple areas. There have been seasons where I feel like I’m losing as a parent, as a husband, and even in my career. I don’t want to talk about that; it feels like everything is slipping away. This is when the enemy has the upper hand. Often, there’s someone provoking and challenging you, and you’re just like, «Oh my goodness, I’m losing.»
If there’s one thing I can’t handle, and the Lord has not healed me of this yet, it’s when someone comes at me aggressively. When they start yelling or provoking me, I want to retaliate. I’m half Brazilian and half Italian—that’s a volatile mix! How long will that provoker have the upper hand?
What I’ve learned is that when the enemy feels like he has the upper hand, we have to step back and devise a strategy. This is how I believe David transitioned from crying and struggling to rejoicing. He stepped back and approached it like a chess game. In chess, pawns are the least valuable pieces on the board; they can only move one space at a time and can’t move backward. There are many pawns because they’re worth little, and people often sacrifice them. The more dynamic pieces can move in versatile ways.
When I play chess, I can’t see two or three moves in advance. I only see my next move. When the opponent makes a move, I check if my king is in danger. If I determine that he’s safe, I only look for my next move—even if it’s just moving a pawn forward.
When you’re wondering how long the enemy will have the upper hand, how long will this situation provoke you, I want to tell you this: you are in a warfare. In 2 Corinthians 2:11, it says we should not be unaware of the devil’s schemes. The first thing you do is check to ensure your relationship with the King is okay. If you’re not praying, you’re not communicating with Him. You may acknowledge His existence and goodness, but if you’re not talking to Him, you don’t have a true relationship with Him.
Is there anyone in your life you have a close relationship with, but you don’t talk to them? Come on. You have to talk to a friend, family member, spouse, or child. How much more do we need to communicate with our Father? Just like any other relationship: my daughter comes home for the weekend. Although we don’t talk for long, we do communicate regularly. You need to talk to God. You can pray in your heart or mind, but you must also verbally express it. If you can’t say, «I love You,» you need to ask yourself why not. What’s keeping you?
Once you establish that your relationship with the King is good, He will always show you the next right step. He may not show you multiple steps ahead, but He will guide you on your immediate next step. As you do that, the enemy you face will no longer have the upper hand. The power shift occurs because the King is in the right position; you’re talking to your Father and taking the next right step. It may be small steps, but don’t quit on me. I’m telling you, I’m not where I used to be!
So what have we talked about so far? We’ve discussed how these «how long» moments are critical because we draw lines in the sand, and during these enemy moments, we can shift the power when we ensure the Lord is in the right place while taking small steps.
Now, here’s the big question: how did he get from hurting to rejoicing? Yes, the first step and the second step were crucial, but the third step is the most perplexing. Struggling and then rejoicing within a short time span—it’s like writing a poem. Those of you who write poems do it in one sitting because your emotions and thoughts flow easily from one stanza to the next. David was a songwriter; he was a poet, feeling his season transition to a new mindset.
How did he get there? This wasn’t the first time David struggled, nor was it his first battle. There were battles he continually faced. The Goliath called out to David and his army, saying, «Come get me! You’ve got a fight on your hands, and the prize is huge, but you must go through me.» This addiction spirit, this loneliness, this depression—there are certain giants that will challenge you. You know you’ve got to face that giant. Every person fights a different giant, but you’ll have to confront this one.
If you stand there doing nothing, that giant isn’t going anywhere. You’ll have to face that giant and not freeze in fear until you fight. How do you fight? You fight the same way you shift the power against that enemy—the upper hand—it requires you to look to the King. You must ensure your relationship with Him is solid. Take your next step and, before you know it, it’s hard to explain, but you start moving from struggling to rejoicing. You look at that giant and say, «I’m tired of facing you. I’m ready to go at it!»
In Revelation 3:8, Jesus says, «For I have opened a door for you. I know that you are very weak, but you have kept my word.» He is telling you, «I know you’re weak, but there’s a door opened for you.» For the Lord to open a door and for us to walk through it requires maturity. If someone can be stuck in a season for too long, it could signify that they’re missing opportunities ahead like new relationships, new opportunities, or a closeness with the Holy Spirit. Maturity means you can endure through seasons and keep the King close.
A friend of mine shared a story earlier this week. Her little girl saw a bottle of medicine in a friend’s purse. The girl grabbed it, wanting to see what was inside. However, she couldn’t open it, so she handed it to her mother and said, «I can’t open this bottle.» The mother explained, «You can’t open it because it has a child lock.» The girl then asked, «How does the bottle know I’m a child?»
You see, that lock is linked to maturation. The creators of the bottle know that as you mature, you will learn how to open it. The Lord knows that as you learn to endure through seasons, you will be able to walk through new doors and instinctively know how to do so. It’s something that builds up in you. The Lord says, «There will be a time when you just know.» That’s how we move through seasons and walk through new doors. We walk through seasons, and we begin to recognize, «I’ve been here before. I know what His voice sounds like,» and then we walk through those opened doors.
Does that help anybody today? Come on, I’d like for all of you to stand. I want to urge you today, especially if you’re feeling like you’re in a season asking, «How long do I have to be here?» I compel you to say, «Okay, it’s time to draw some lines in the sand. It’s time to re-establish or establish a relationship with the Lord for the first time.» I also want you to feel the excitement in your spirit as He causes you to become more seasoned and mature.
It’s a powerful scripture in Philippians 3:12 where the Bible states that the Lord is currently working in you to give you the desire and power to do what pleases Him. He is working in you right now, giving you the power to overcome, withstand, and remain steadfast so that you can complete the beautiful, good, and fulfilling assignment He has for you.