“Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.” (Psalm 5:1-2 NIV)

I love this verse. It shows me that David spent time talking with his Heavenly Father. And if David, a man loved by God’s own heart (See 1 Samuel 13:14), talked with God, shouldn’t we all?

As you read David’s words to God, you see one truth emerging: David doesn’t accuse God of never hearing his prayers; rather, he is talking to his Friend, his Daddy, Someone he loves and trusts…his Heavenly Father!

I have often taken this verse to heart. I often talk to my Heavenly Father when I go to bed. I spend time with Him. I tell Him how I am feeling, what I am thinking. I seek His guidance. So often, before I drift off to sleep, I heart God telling me that He cares for me, that He’s happy I am sharing my thoughts and feelings and problems.

David goes on in the next verse to say: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalms 5:3 NIV). This is my experience as well. When I pray before going to sleep, I arise the next morning with a calm heart. Everything is okay! God has come to me and given me peace of heart.

So often we don’t go to God with our problems and concerns. They seem too big or too small for Him. Or perhaps we are just so overwhelmed with the enormity of our problems that we don’t even think to talk to Him about them. Just like a loving Heavenly Father, however, He wants for us to talk to Him. He loves you — He loves me — more than either of us could ever fathom. And the more we get to know Him, the more we fall in love with Him as well!

Once, when I was still teaching, my vice-principal made a grave mistake while talking to one of my colleagues. I overheard the entire conversation, and I knew the right thing to do would be to confront my vice-principal with her mistake. I really didn’t want to do that, however, and the whole incident bothered me all evening. When I went to bed that night, I spent some time talking it over with God, asking for Him to intervene and to convict the vice-principal of her error so I wouldn’t have to confront her. And if this didn’t happen, asking God to give me courage, opportunity, and especially, wisdom for how to approach the situation the following day.

I then fell asleep, waiting expectantly for something to happen, and when I awoke the next morning, I was in total peace. Who is surprised to hear that when I arrived at school that day, I would learn the entire thing had already been rectified.

I trusted in Him, and He  on Him. He is amazing!

What is worrying you right now? Is it your own problems? Is it guilt? Is it realizing that someone else has done wrong? Whatever it is, follow David’s advice: Cry out to God. Lament. Tell Him what you are feeling, and then wait expectantly, ever knowing that you will wake up the next morning with peace in your heart.

In His love,
Rob Chaffart

P.S. Over time, this new Vice-Principal would became my friend. As it turned out, she was a Christian as well, and during the night that I had cried out to God on her behalf, He had convicted her of her error and she had wasted no time in rectifying it.

(To access the entire “The Sling for God” devotional series, please click here.)