How Long, Lord?

Psalm 6:1-3  A psalm of David. LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.  (2)  Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint; heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.  (3)  My soul is in deep anguish. How long, LORD, how long?

It’s nice to know that there was someone in the Bible who was just like us.  You know – someone who questioned God’s timing.  David was so afraid to speak out what was in his heart that he asked the Lord not to be angry or discipline him.  He was faint, in agony and in deep anguish.  He ends this portion of the psalm by saying “how long, Lord, how long?”.

I’m sure there are many times when we wondered where God was, why He was taking so long before answering our prayer.  And we’re afraid to share it with others lest they question our faith and trust in the Lord.  So we put up a spiritual look, claiming to trust God.  But deep inside we are wondering “How long, Lord, how long?”.
When I feel this way I’ve learned not to keep it from God.  Whether or not I say it He sees my heart and knows what I feel.  That’s why I believe it’s always best to just say it, let it out of our chest.  This was what David was doing.

David, though, did not end his prayer with his impatience and doubt.  He ended it with faith:
Psalm 6:8-10  Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.  (9)  The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.  (10)  All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
The Lord has heard.  The Lord accepts my prayer.  Even though it may seem that God is delayed in answering our prayers, in our hearts we must believe that He has heard, that He has accepted our prayers.  And eventually our hearts submit to the wisdom and timing of our Sovereign God, and trust in His faithfulness.