The Truth Will Set You Free

“When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.””
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:6-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How many of us have had the same experience? Things are going well financially and in other ways. In those moments we "feel" on top of the world.  How quickly things can change! Circumstances take a direct opposite course and we "feel" forsaken.  How easy it is to praise God when things are well. How difficult it is to praise Him when things are not well. One moment God seems so close and the other He seems so far. Our hearts cry out in loneliness and discouragement. Instead of "feeling" so spiritually on fire, we are cold and cruel. The situations of life cause us to experience such a spectrum of emotions. How can we plummet so far away from the way things were yesterday? "If only God had kept us from the current struggle" we cry. Naturally, and instinctively, we tend to blame God for the things we don't understand. The beauty in all of this is the simple reality that God is unchanged! He is undeterred by our momentary condition. In fact, He is compassionate and understanding, more than anyone, humanly, can be. In His mercy, He lets us vent our frustrations and vomit our disdain of the circumstances. He knows how healthy it is to process our emotions to Someone who understands it all, even more than we do.  For many years, growing up, I heard people say "we aren't supposed to question God"! Since that time, I have come to learn this simply isn't true. God knows our human frame and, more than anyone, the natural bent of our depravity. Who, more than He, can tolerate our need to express our innermost struggles? Who, more than He, is able to see beyond our words to the need of our heart? God, and God alone, is the One we should be able to be, unreservedly, honest with. After all, He already knows what's processing inside us.  Let me be clear here! I am not advocating being belligerent or foul toward our Heavenly Father. However, I am advocating being fully honest with Him about our struggle with life's grappling issues.  Take a listen to Job's words from the Old Testament: “I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. My bitter soul must complain. I will say to God, ‘Don’t simply condemn me— tell me the charge you are bringing against me. What do you gain by oppressing me? Why do you reject me, the work of your own hands, while smiling on the schemes of the wicked? Are your eyes like those of a human? Do you see things only as people see them?” ‭‭Job‬ ‭10:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
This is only an excerpt from the total chapter. I encourage you to read the entire text. Without doubt, Job had a conversation with God that clearly stated his questions and perspectives.  In today's scripture, David found himself in the same situation. Perhaps that is where you are right now. Take time to vomit up the stewing, turbulent things that grapple with your soul. God is big enough to handle your questions! He is patient enough to endure your temporary eruptions! When you express what has been suppressed, you can experience relief and freedom from the molten lava that lies, like magma, beneath the surface. Other people don't see the unseen struggle that torments your soul. God does! Take off your mask today. In your honesty, intimacy can be found. In our marital, physical relationships we must take off our outer garments for intimacy to take place. Even when we take a bath or shower, we must do the same.  The same is true spiritually. We must relinquish the facade we present to others and get naked before God! Only then can we experience the cleansing we so desperately need.  May God help us take off the mask, strip off the outer "shell", and help us release the magma that is boiling within. As Jesus said “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ‭‭John‬ ‭8:32‬ ‭NLT‬‬