After they left, a deep sense of loneliness hung heavy in the air, drowning out the fresh pine scent of the tree. The tears I had been holding back dripped down my cheeks.
After a few minutes, though, I breathed a heavy sigh, wiped my tears and sat up straight. I reminded myself of God’s promises in Scripture to be with me always. Even though my husband had left, my heavenly Father never would. I knew I needed to refocus on the fact that even though my life had changed, God was still the same.
In Psalm 16, we read about a time when David, too, felt especially left behind, forgotten and afraid. When he wrote this passage, he was likely hiding in the woods, knowing that his enemy, Saul, and his army were in hot pursuit to find David and kill him. Yet instead of letting his emotions shake him up, David shifted his attitude and intentionally chose to refocus on God’s presence.
We see evidence of this in Psalm 16:8, where David said, “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.”
We can make the same choice as David when we are enduring hard times. When a spouse says they’re leaving. A boss says we’re no longer needed. A loved one or family member leaves this world too soon. A friend betrays us. Trying to pick up the pieces of our broken hearts, we’re left wondering if we’ll ever feel whole and unbroken again.
