When I was a child (and, to be honest, into my adulthood!), when things were hard, when I was sad or disappointed, or afraid, I turned to my Mom. I was so confident and secure in her love for me that I knew she could make it all better, even if all she did was listen.
As we grow up, sometimes we fail to transfer that kind of childlike trust to The One, the ONLY ONE, whose love is worthy of our trust. And whose power is worthy of our confidence. So many of the psalms convey this picture of crying out to God, of placing our trust in Him. I’ve been reading through the psalms and one in particular stood out to me for this very reason. Psalm 57. Verse 2 says “I will cry to God Most High, to God, who accomplishes all things for me.”
What a practical picture of Christian living! The context for this psalm is when David was hiding from King Saul, tucked away in a cave, appropriately afraid for his life. Instead of plotting his way out, instead of keeping his worries in his head, what does he do? He cries out to God Most High.
“Crying out” to the Lord carries the meaning of literally what it says - crying and out loud. This is what Scripture prescribes for us - not sporting a stiff upper lip. Not bottling up our hurts and fears inside. But pouring them out aloud to God Most High. Just like I always felt better after I told my Mom about whatever was bothering me, so this very act of lifting up our concerns to our Heavenly Father lifts our burdens.
However, this psalm tells us it’s more than that. As much as my Mom loved me, as capable and amazing as she was, she was finite in her abilities to “fix things” for me. Her capacity, though full of love and determination, was limited. Not so with God Most High.
The remainder of that verse clarifies why it is such a great idea to cry out to God. Because HE accomplishes all things for me! God Most High is infinite, limitless in not only His power but also His love. I pour out to Him my worries and fears and pain because I trust Him - I know He loves me (I Peter 5:7 - “casting all my anxiety on Him because He cares for me) and I know is the only One who is working on my behalf all the time. That is what is meant by the word “accomplishes” -not only working but working them after the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). And what is His will? To bless me with “every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)!
Psalm 57 goes on to expound on what God Most High does for him - sending help from heaven, and reproaching those who wrong him. And then it recounts the result of this crying out and trusting…Verse 7 says “ My heart is steadfast , O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes I will sing praises!” Pouring out our fears and pains to The One who cares for us and is actively working all things for our good and His glory takes us from those negative emotions to a place of peace and praise. Steadfast heart, praising voice. What a progression!
If you are in a place of hurt or anxiety, if your heart is afraid or unsettled, I implore you to do what I’ve found to bring victory, what the psalmist demonstrates to us here. Cry out…and trust.