Psalm 25

I know this has nothing to do with Ireland, but I don't care. I felt convicted to share. I'm doing Nancy Leigh DeMoss' 30 Day Walk With God in the Psalms and today I read Psalm 25. Oh. my. goodness. most convicting thing ever. In this Psalm David is suffering because of his enemies, but the way he responds is the way I always need to respond to suffering. Rather than blaming God for his affliction, David becomes more aware of his own sinfulness and of God's mercy and love. I don't think I have ever responded to hardship in that way.

David recognizes that the cause of his affliction is not only his enemies, but also his own sin. Instead of responding in anger or denial, David admits his complete and utter dependence on God (verse 1 "I lift up my soul; in you I trust"), asks for guidance and instruction (verses 4 and 5 "guide me in your truth and teach me"), asks for forgiveness from his sins (verses 7 and 11 "forgive my iniquity, though it is great"), turns his eyes to the Lord (verse 15), and asks for God's protection (verse 20). Charles Spurgeon says, "It is the mark of a true saint that his sorrows remind him of his sins, and his sorrow for sin drives him to his God."-- awesome. I wish that my sin made me as sad as it makes my God (James 4:9).

Another Charles Spurgeon quote… " 'Forgive all my sins' is the cry of a soul that is more sick of sin than of pain and would sooner be forgiven than healed. Blessed is the man to whom sin is more unbearable than disease; he shall not be long before the Lord shall both forgive his iniquity and heal his diseases. Men are slow to see the intimate connection between sin and sorrow." I don't deserve one good thing in my life because of my sinfulness and depravity, so rather than blaming God for the trouble in my life I need to be praising Him for who He is and what He's already done for me. How great is it that we can still have an intimate personal relationship with the creator of the universe, in spite of ourselves? Psalm 25:18 "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways."- Praise God.