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Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? – Psalm 88:14

The Lord knows and sees our heart, therefore there is no reason or point in pretending with Him. The Psalmist words here show us that it is fine to go to God in an emotional state; that it is okay to tell him exactly what we are feeling; that it is not an issue to be honest with God. Some think that we should go to God on our best behavior because He is God. While they are right in that He is God, they also forget that He is our Father. So, we can be honorable to God and be honest with God at the same time. God does not consider it to be honest with God, otherwise He would have been angry with David. God does not consider it disrespectful to question or challenge Him, otherwise He would have been angry with Abraham for questioning Him concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. We don’t have to approach God  trying to fake how we feel – that would manipulative. Rather, we should be sincere with God and allow His Spirit to minister the truth that brings freedom to us. If the Psalmist could be honest with God, then so can you

I will no longer fake how I feel with God but allow His truth to change how I feel

Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.” – Psalm 87:7

A different word for a spring is a well. The importance of wells is understood by those who live in the desert. Without wells, the desert becomes unlivable, and societies cannot form. Hence, a well becomes a lifeline for the desert dwelling communities. Without God, we live in a spiritual desert. Only in Him do we find a place of safety and rest. Only in Him can our thirst truly be satisfied. Only in Him can we truly thrive. Think of the time you lived apart or moved away from God – His voice, His principles, statues, and instruction. Then think of the time you lived in beautiful fellowship with Him. Do you recall the difference? Indeed, all our best times are in God. Without Him, we are nothing but a dry desert. Please do not wait until you are completely dried up before reaching out to God. He is the spring you have always been looking for; He is the spring you need.

I will not dissert you lest I experience a dry season in a spiritual desert

And of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her; And the Most High Himself shall establish her – Psalm 87:5

Zion, the city of God, represents where the people of God reside. It is a place where God is first place, and He directs the affairs of His people. To live in Zion is to live in the territory and environment that God has chosen for us. Yet, there is difference between living in Zion and experiencing the life of Zion. To live a life of Zion requires complete surrender to God in humility; it requires walking with God in the Spirit. Apostle Paul said that if we live in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:35). When we walk in the Spirit, we set ourselves apart from the rest of the people around us, whether they are of Zion or not. People take notice and they see that we are different. Being of Zion is not about appearing to be holy or doing things to try to prove to others that we are different. Rather, it is about allowing God to live His life through us daily. Therefore, Zion life comes when we die to ourselves so that we may live to God.

Lord, show me where I am prideful so I can surrender those areas to You and live the life that you intend.

But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth – Psalm 86:15

Just because a father disciplines his son doesn’t mean he doesn’t love him. In fact, the opposite is true! Just because a married couple engages in a heated argument doesn’t mean the marriage is over. So why do we doubt the loving heart, nature, and character of God when we read about His justice? Though we may misunderstand what God is doing in the moment, we must humbly recognize that we neither have a complete view nor do we have an eternal view. God knows this, and so sent Jesus to help us understand his heart, nature, and character. When we look at Jesus, it is clear to see that God is full of compassion, gracious, patient, and abundant in mercy truth towards us. While justice lasts only a moment, His love endures forever.

God loves me, even when His hand of justice is heavy upon me

Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth – Psalm 86:11

We walk in freedom when we walk in Truth, for it is the Truth that sets us free. If we are not living in freedom in any area of our lives, it is because we have ceased to walk in actual truth. Actual truth comes from our Lord Jesus who is the Truth whereas false truth comes from the world. False truth leads to fear and confuses our opinions, thoughts, and feelings. The Psalmist reveals in the verse above that walking in truth requires knowing the way of the Lord. To know His way requires us to sit with the Word of God and to converse with Him, so that we can learn and understand His way. So, let me ask you: How much time do you spend trying to understand His way? What does your devotional time looks like? Do you set time apart to read the word of God and pray? These are essential if you want to walk in truth daily and experience true freedom in your life daily.

I choose to let God teach me so I can experience His freedom

In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me – Psalm 86:7

Many backslidden believers shun God – thinking God is angry with them and they cannot approach Him. The result of this is they miss out on His blessings. When we shun God, whatever God meant for us ends up in other people’s hands. The story of Jesus is the story of a savior who decided to rescue the world not because the world called on Him but because He loved the world. And even though the world shunned Him, He still pursued the world vigorously. The truth is that God wants you to reach out to Him regardless of the circumstance, and regardless of the state of your relationship with Him. Call on Him and He will answer. Open your heart to His answer and experience the goodness of His grace. Don’t let what God meant for you to slip away because you have decided you are unworthy. Jesus has made you worthy, so embrace His love for you.

He will answer when I call

Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul – Psalm 86:4

When we lift our soul (mind, will, and emotions) vertically up to the Lord, we can experience heaven and rejoice. When we live horizontally in alignment with the world, our soul becomes uneasy and troubled. When we live with our souls downcast and pointed downwards – allowing ourselves to be beat down and shamed by the accusations of the enemy – we live in a state of repression, depression, and oppression. The choice is ours – live vertically, horizontally, or downwards. Again, when we live vertically by focusing our attention on God on high, his love takes over and we can rejoice. Choose to look up today and things will start to look up for you. Practically, this means that you get away from the distractions of the world and spend some quality time with God before you get your day started. My advice to you is for you to make sure you look up before you look around.

When I look up, everything looks up for me in life

Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway – Psalm 85:13

A truly wonderful thing about being a believer is that we do not have to know what to do. We don’t have to lead ourselves; we don’t have to have all the answers. All we need to do is follow the One who knows what to do. We need to look for the imprint of His foot and simply follow the same path. What does this imprint look like? It looks like a life of service to others, a life of passion, a life of fulfilling the call of God on our life, a life of fighting for those who are marginalized, a life of love! Our path becomes clear when God’s heart of love drives our life. The path of love is simple, sure, and satisfying. Conversely, our life path becomes uncertain, unclear, and underwhelming when we are guided by fear, insecurity, doubt, and selfishness. If in doubt about the path of take, simply ask yourself: What would agape love do in this situation? What is the heart of God in this situation? Love always reveals the right path.

My path in life becomes clear when my heart reflects His heart

You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people; You have covered all their sin – Psalm 85:2

Do you find yourself saying to yourself that you are not good enough? Do you spend a lot of time comparing yourself to others? Are you always finding fault with yourself? If you can relate, let me ask you: whose standard are you trying to measure up to anyway? Is it yours, others, or God’s standards? The highest standard belongs to God, and it is a standard that God knew that we could never reach. So, He sent His Son to meet that standard on our behalf so that in Him, we meet His standard. What this means is that you have already met the highest standard through Christ. So, take a deep breath and relax. You can stop beating yourself up and start thanking God for the truth that He overlooks our imperfections but looks at Jesus perfection. This should give you the freedom to continue to grow and mature spiritually without the specter of judgement lurking in the shadows.

I will neither be depressed by my shortcomings nor be impressed with my strengths because I owe all I am to God