As many of you know, I have been away for a month, training with the Air Force in Montgomery, Alabama at the Basic Chaplain Course (BCC). It was a very valuable time for me. I learned a lot and got to practice many different ministry skills while I was there, and now I am thankful to be home.
While I was training, I got to have some very cool experiences! I met the Chief of Chaplains for the Air Force, and I got to ride on an Army Blackhawk helicopter. There were also some difficult moments. The most difficult aspect of my time in Alabama was the news about my cousin, who is in the hospital and needs the Lord’s intervention to recover.
My time at BCC reminded me of one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 73, which speaks about struggle and God’s goodness in hard times. The Psalmist, Asaph, begins with the truth that God is good. However, he shifts immediately into his complaint. He cannot understand why the unrighteous prosper, since God is good and merciful and righteous and powerful.
Well, the reason this Psalm is one of my favorites is the Psalmist’s response to his inner struggle:
When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
Psalm 73:16-17
The Psalmist cannot overcome his struggles on his own, so he seeks out God in the sanctuary. While I was away, I needed that same connection with God. I went out walking with the Father, talking with Him in the cold streets of Alabama. He didn’t give me any answers, but He reminded me of His faithfulness and His goodness.
Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
Psalm 73:23-26, 28
So, wherever you are today, take a moment to go and bring your problems before the Lord. Enter His Sanctuary and lay your struggles before Him. Our Lord may not fix your problem immediately. He may not provide you with the answers you seek. But He will be there for you. He is big enough to hold all of your thoughts, your feelings, and your needs.
God’s Presence and Strength be with you all,
Noah