Saturday Sept 12, 2020

Psalm 57:2 “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose in me.”

I am no psychologist but the simple act of living has given me some experience with trauma and all trauma leaves scars.

I was reading a biography on Susannah Spurgeon where the author spoke about an incident where Susie’s husband, Charles Spurgeon was speaking at a service. The building was packed with over 12,000 people inside and 10,000 more were standing in the surrounding garden and on the street trying to hear the service. Of course when God’s people meet together not everyone is happy right?! So, some troublemakers came running through the crowds and into the doors shouting fire, the galleries are giving way, the place is falling! The people started screaming and there was a stampede.

A number of people were killed trying to escape a non-existent fire that day. Charles Spurgeon was forever marred by that event, both personally and professionally. He carried that scar until the day he died, in fact he suffered anxieties about speaking to large crowds and fought depression as a result. The newspapers called him out for being careless and public opinion turned away from him for a time.

The thing is…Charles Spurgeon never gave up preaching. He never quit on his calling. He carried on with the purpose God gave him until he took his last breath even though it was very difficult for him at times. I was struck by his tenacity; persevering although having been deeply and permanently affected by trauma.

How about you? Have you allowed the scars of trauma to rob purpose from you?

Our verse comes from a psalm that David wrote when he was hiding in a cave after fleeing from Saul. Vs 1 says “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until disaster has passed.”

We can imagine his face upturned, tears pouring down his cheeks crying out to the Lord and we also see the desire in his heart to submit his will to the Lord’s, the affirmation “…who fulfills his purpose in me” shows a heart of persistent faith.

he would not lash out

he would not let fear win

he would not give up and give in

he would not let the powers of darkness snuff out the light of the Lord

he would not let selfishness override the purpose of the Lord for his life

he would take refuge in the power of the Lord

he would cry out to the Lord for help

he would remember that the Lord’s purpose for his life would be fulfilled

Trauma can strip us of our identity and can rob us of our purpose if we allow it to but David reminds us in this simple verse to call out to the Lord!

What hope, what encouragement to know that the Lord will fulfill his purpose in our lives! There’s no maybe’s, he WILL.

Much love to you today, but especially to those of you who are struggling. I want to encourage you to reach out to someone you trust today – I know you don’t feel like it but please do. Call a friend or family member you’re close to, talk to a councilor or pastor so that someone can encourage you. I’m praying for you that if you’ve lost your will to get up in the morning, you’ve given up or maybe your life seems to have no meaning, that the Lord will fill you with a renewed sense of his presence and purpose for your life and through your circumstance.

xo