Mensa Otabil - Direction Through Trials
- Watch
- Donate
Welcome to day number seven of our 40 days of power. In these days, we are seeking the face of the Lord, trusting Him through prayer, fasting, and supplication. This week, we are focusing on guidance-God’s guidance to us in different circumstances. We look at Psalm 61, verses 2 and 3: «From the end of the earth, I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I; for You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy.» Finding shelter in a storm is one of the coziest feelings in life.
One of the pleasant memories I have of my childhood is being safe at home during a storm. I’m sure you have had that experience before when it’s raining all around you, but you are safe in a storm, and you feel comforted. That is what God is to us; He is our shelter. When there is a storm around us, when there are trials, difficulties, and dangers, the Lord keeps us safe.
David is the writer of Psalm 61, and he writes to show us where to go when our hearts are overwhelmed by life’s problems. Sooner or later, you will go through situations that will make you feel overwhelmed. Where do you go? Where do you direct your steps? David shows us the way, and in the Psalm, he describes where he finds himself. He says, «From the end of the earth, I will cry to You.» What did he mean by that phrase? He used it to convey how distant he feels from God, feeling alone, isolated, and lonely. It’s almost as if he’s been thrown to the end of the earth, in a place where nobody cares for him, where nobody understands him. When we have prayed over and over about a situation and are not seeing answers to our prayers, sometimes we feel we are at the end of the earth; we feel isolated.
David also says, «My heart is overwhelmed.» It’s as if darkness has covered him. He felt a sense of isolation, and it was as if something very dark was enveloping him. How did David respond to this? What direction did he take? The first thing he says is, «I cried to God.» He cried, but not to himself or within himself; he cried to God. Many times, we cry to ourselves or to other people, but David cried to God. It’s okay to cry, but to whom do you cry? Whom do you take your worries to? Whom do you take your anxieties to?
That is what we are doing in these 40 days; we are crying to the Lord because some of us feel like we are at the end of the earth, or our hearts are overwhelmed, and there is pain in our hearts. Turn your pain into prayer and focus it on the Lord. Then he said, «I cried to the Lord,» and I pray to God that He will lead me to the rock that is higher than myself. Even in anguish, David knew there is a place of safety, a place of comfort, and a place of security. Just to let you know, God has a place for you-a place of safety. You may be in the rain, beaten by the storm, but there is a safe harbor for you, a safe place for you, a rock higher than yourself. What you need to pray for is for God to lead you to that place. It doesn’t stop the storm; the storm will still be there, but you will be safe in the midst of it.
So David says, «Lord, my heart is overwhelmed, but lead me to the rock that is higher than myself.» I pray for you that God will give you guidance and order your steps to the place of safety He has for you. No matter how overwhelmed you are, there is a secure place God wants to take you to, and you will find yourself in that place. If you trust God for that, let’s pray together. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, You are my rock and my shelter. Lead me to Your place of deliverance and safety. In Jesus' name, amen.»
As you seek the Lord and cry to Him, He will hear you and lead you to a safe place. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom-peace and life to you.