From Pouting to Shouting
How Long, O Lord? How Long?
How many times have you asked that question? It’s probably a question that most, if not every believer has asked. It seems if we knew when our trial would end we would never grow weary or complain, but when it goes on and on with no end is when we start to ask the Lord, How Long?
In Psalm 13, David starts out with the same question. He is discouraged. He is in despair. He asks the Lord 4 times How Long, but gets no answer.
How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you look the other way when I am in need? How long must I be hiding daily anguish in my heart? How long shall my enemy have the upper hand? Answer me, O Lord my God; give me light in my darkness lest I die. Don’t let my enemies say, “We have conquered him!” Don’t let them gloat that I am down. But I will always trust in you and in your mercy and shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has blessed me so richly. Psalm 13:1-6
David receives silence when he cries out to the Lord. I know David isn’t the only one that feels like his prayers and questions are unanswered and delayed. In a recent sermon on Psalm 13, I love what Tim Dilena says, “Delays show how mature you are.” How are you choosing to react to your delays? Are you using them to edify your walk with Christ, or are you throwing tantrums like a young child?
There is a quote by Oswald Chambers that says, “Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. His silence is the sign that He is bringing you in a more wonderful understanding of Himself.” Isn’t that the truth? Isn’t it in the trials and God’s silence where we grow more dependent on Him and gain better understanding of who He is?
If you are anything like me, you are always in a hurry, but God doesn’t work that way. He is always right on time. He is never early and He is never late. He uses the silence, the wait, the trials, the hardships, and the suffering for our good. His delays are not His denials, but instead we grow more mature while waiting.
In Psalms 13:5, David goes from desperation to encouragement. He goes from pouting to shouting praises. There is a shift that takes place and he realizes that he does trust God. He decides to sing praises to the Lord for He is good. It’s ok to ask the Lord ‘How Long?’, but are you spending more time pouting or shouting? Choose to turn your pouts into shouts of joy and praise to the Lord.
Jojo
Posted at 07:09h, 03 DecemberIts like u wrote this for me…I will turn my pouts to shout.
Tanya @ the sky and back
Posted at 08:24h, 03 DecemberThanks for this. I’ve definitely been doing a lot of pouting lately, and crying, “How long?!” I know nothing is on my timeline and most of the time I feel ok with that, but some days it is really hard.
Jessi Otey
Posted at 08:31h, 03 DecemberSuch a good message! Thanks for sharing! xoxo
Kim Adams Morgan
Posted at 09:38h, 03 DecemberCaroline, I think your graphic says it all. Nice!
Erika B.
Posted at 10:09h, 03 DecemberSuch a good reminder. Love that Oswald quote- I’ve never heard it!
Amanda
Posted at 11:48h, 04 DecemberAgreed! Love that quote! “Has God trusted you with His silence…” So good.
Rebecca Jo
Posted at 11:32h, 03 DecemberI needed that reminder – I’ve been really great at pouting lately
Charity
Posted at 11:36h, 03 DecemberSuch a good post, especially when you are waiting for something big to manifest. Pout or shout?! Im going to have to use that one later….putting in my back pocket. I may even have to use it on myself.
Amanda
Posted at 12:29h, 03 DecemberYes! He is right on time. I needed to hear that today. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom
Posted at 13:42h, 03 DecemberWonderful encouraging words. I just love how God makes things happen at the perfect time. I try to remember that when I’m on the brink of a “temper tantrum”. HE has perfect timing and the perfect answer to my prayers.
Krystal
Posted at 16:18h, 03 DecemberThis really got to me: “He is always right on time. He is never early and He is never late.” So insightful! I think most of us should tell ourselves that – and repeat as necessary.
Elisha
Posted at 16:24h, 03 DecemberSuch a good word sugars! xo
GiGi
Posted at 20:36h, 03 DecemberPouting to Shouting! My new motto!
Mandy
Posted at 09:03h, 04 DecemberGreat post! I am always humbled when I see the homeless on my drive into work when I’ve just thought of everything I hate about traffic and waking up at 5am. Things like that make me stop pouting and start praying for those who are dealing with much worse than me. Thank you for linking up to the SHINEbloghop, I’m visiting from the Letters to Amelia blog!
Cindy Hasko
Posted at 15:45h, 04 DecemberThis is another GREAT post from you! It’s so true!! I actually thought of you today: I receive Proverbs 31 Ministry daily devotions sent to my email each day from different Christian women and I tweeted today’s devotion onto my Twitter. It’s about this same topic. Do you have Twitter? Check out my Twitter or just go on the Proverbs 31 webpage and click devotion and read it if ya can… It’s called “When I Lose My Patience with God.” It’s a great reminder for ALL of us, including me! 🙂 It’s so hard to be patient, but God can see the bigger picture. That’s where His sifting and our trust in Him come into play. Ohhh it’s so hard to be human. ha ha!! 😉
Leigh-Taylor
Posted at 21:26h, 04 DecemberI love this—How are you choosing to react to your delays? Really made me think about my reaction lately. As I walk in this season of transition in my life, I want to be more mindful of my reactions. Thank you for making me think (although my brain kinda hurts now 😉 )
Laura @ Making Baby Provence
Posted at 16:07h, 22 DecemberThis is something I have really been thinking about the last couple of days. Craig spoke about crying out to the Lord this weekend. It really made me realize that it’s time to stop pouting and move forward in a productive way with our journey. Not easy, but I’ll work on it.
Angie
Posted at 09:46h, 16 JulyWaiting certainly is an unnatural response sometimes, we want to jump in and fix everything ourselves. Choosing to be positive changes the entire world around us though!
Kristen
Posted at 10:50h, 16 JulyThank you for that reminder today. Waiting in the silence can sometimes be the hardest thing to do for me.
Roxanne
Posted at 11:21h, 16 JulyGod can handle our pouts, and our shouts. It’s such a great thing to remember, He wants to hear it all.
Jennifer DeFrates/Heaven Not Harvard
Posted at 11:43h, 16 JulyIn God’s silences, I’m learning to be able to see what He is doing or at least have some understanding of what he could be doing in those times that I can’t SEE His answers and to trust that He isn’t being still, even if He is asking me to be.
Pamel
Posted at 16:53h, 16 JulyGod trusts us with His silence. A part of me is fearful of that. The other part is humbled that He would trust me. I want to grow in joy and trust when He sends the silence.
Andi
Posted at 17:59h, 16 JulyLOVE the reminder! 😀
Marie with spreading-joy.org
Posted at 18:26h, 16 JulyI love the Psalms for the raw emotion there. We can all relate there. Waiting is never easy but it is necessary.
Jelli
Posted at 20:11h, 16 July“His delays are not his denials.” I like that!
Mary Collins
Posted at 20:35h, 16 JulyI read the Psalms often because they reflect how I really feel when I’m struggling or feel discouraged. Like David, I feel compelled to talk to the Lord and walk away encouraged.
Jodi Spencer
Posted at 22:17h, 16 JulyAmen amen amen! My husband and I are finally coming out of a period of about six months of a desert where we felt like we weren’t hearing God in any form and fashion and every time I wanted to pout or pitch a fit about it, I couldn’t help but be reminded by the Holy Spirit about how God’s people went, what, 400 years without hearing Him between the Old Testament and the New. Good word!
Melanie
Posted at 03:26h, 17 JulyThank you for this. It’s always good to be reminded that God’s timing is not our timing, and that he has the best in mind for us.
Marissa
Posted at 07:09h, 17 JulyWhen these verses are presented to me I always remember how my grandfather would silently sit next to me as I vented over my stressful teenage life (it was your typical teenage life, but to me it was horrible!). He just sat there, and listened… then my words would change as I verbally worked through my emotional thoughts, and usually end with a “I guess it’s not as bad as I originally thought” statement and he would hug me, and move forward.
It seems that God was teaching me, I am fully equipped because I have Him in me and therefore I just need to sort it out with Him…
Marissa
Amy Dowling
Posted at 07:47h, 17 JulyGreat message! I good reminder to be patient. Hard for me. 🙂
Sandra @ Sandra's Ark
Posted at 17:43h, 17 JulyI love the Psalms where the mood changes as they progress and the worship ensues.
Emerald
Posted at 00:05h, 18 JulyDefinitely needed this. So much going on right now. Thank you!