Introduction: If we are honest, we admit there are times it is difficult–and maybe it sometimes even feels impossible–to pray. We might struggle to find the right words. We might be so overcome with emotion that words don’t come but tears do. We might opt to recite prayers that we know from church history, creeds, confessions, memory, habit, or from Scripture.

Connection: One of the most beautiful and encouraging things about the Bible is that it shows us how we really are, not how we sometimes would like to think we are. No, the Bible keeps it real. It shows us time and again that believers throughout history have sometimes struggled to pray, struggled to praise, struggled to overcome the enemies of the true faith. They were mocked. People scoffed at them and their faith. And despite sometimes feigned bravado, people hurt people. And hurt people especially hurt people.

Psalms 42-43 are just such examples of what I mean. The Sons of Korah penned these two poems/hymns/psalms. And their theme is straightforward. It occurs as the refrain three times (Psalm 42:5, 11 & Psalm 43:5):

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation and my God.

Encouragement: Tomorrow morning, I will gather with fellow Christian pilgrims and open Psalms 42 & 43 with them. Why? To show them (and myself) that “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

We will see how believers should respond when the pagan world mocks and jeers and shouts, “Where is your God?”

We will find encouragement to see we are not unique in history. Believers have always had enemies. That’s a good thing; it shows you stood for something.

Stand fast, dear ones. The unbelieving, rejecting world laughs now, but their scoffing is temporary and destined for a terrifying end.

As Edgar sums up King Lear at the conclusion of the play that bears Lear’s name:

The weight of this sad time we must obey,

Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.

The oldest hath borne most: we that are young

Shall never see so much, nor live so long (5.3.25-28).