Day 1, “How Long, Lord?”, reflects on Psalm 13 and the very real emotions that come with a long season of waiting. The episode reminds listeners that it is okay to ask God hard questions, to admit when they feel forgotten, and to cry out for help. David moves from lament and desperation to trust and praise, showing that faith does not mean pretending everything is fine. Even when the answer has not come yet, we can still turn to God, remember His past faithfulness, and choose to trust that He is with us in the waiting. Music: "Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Hope in the Waiting – Day 1: How Long, Lord?
Before we begin today’s episode, I want to take a minute to tell you about a new series we are starting called Hope in the Waiting.
This series is for anyone who has been praying for something for a long time and is starting to wonder if God hears them, if He is going to answer, or how much longer they can keep waiting. Maybe you are praying for healing, for a loved one, for a relationship, for a child, for a job, for a breakthrough, or for something else that is very close to your heart.
Over the next 31 days, we are going to talk honestly about what it is like to wait on the Lord. We are going to look at Scripture, wrestle with some of the hard questions, and talk about practical ways to keep trusting, keep praying, and keep living while the answer has not come yet.
My hope is that by the end of this series, even if your circumstances have not changed yet, you will feel more encouraged, more hopeful, and more aware that God is with you in the waiting.
So today, we are beginning with a question many of us have asked at one time or another: How long, Lord?
Psalm 13:4-5 “How long, Lord? Will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I carry sorrow in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look upon me, answer me, Lord, my God! Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death, Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed,” lest my foes rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your mercy. Grant my heart joy in your salvation, I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me!”
When I read this Psalm, I decided to use the whole Psalm instead of just a verse, as I think it is a beautiful example of the cycle of emotions we can go through. The Psalm starts out with lamenting. “How long, Lord, will you utterly forget me? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I carry sorrow in my soul, grief in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” I am sure we have all been here. I am sure each person listening has had at least one time in their life when they were wondering if the difficult time would ever end. I am sure we have all wondered how long we would have to suffer. I think we have all had a time or two where we wondered if the Lord had turned away from us because it seemed like He abandoned us. Can you remember a time you felt like this? Maybe you are in this lamenting season right now.
I prayed over a man who was in such a season. He has been struggling for over a year with a work injury, and it has been one nightmare after another. It has been really stressful for him. He is finally starting to have some peace about the situation, and now the enemy is coming in and trying to take that peace from him. There are a lot of unknowns in his situation, and yet he is choosing to trust the Lord. Trusting the Lord doesn’t mean everything will suddenly be easy. I am sure he will have similar questions to the ones above. How long will I be without work, Lord? How will I pay my bills, Lord? How will I get sleep when my mind won’t stop thinking?
He told me the Lord reminded him of something the other day. When thoughts and doubts started to flood his mind, the Lord reminded him of a song he used to sing at church when he was younger. He started singing the song, and his thoughts quieted down. This is such a great witness to the power of praise and praise music. When the enemy is attacking, you start to praise the Lord. The enemy is attacking because he wants you to turn against the Lord. When you start praising him, the enemy flees. Even if you don’t know what to say, you can just say “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” repeatedly.
The next part of the Psalm says, “Look upon me, answer me, Lord, my God! Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed,” lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.” How many of us have been here? How many of us have begged God to do something, to look at us, to help us? The author of this Psalm is asking the Lord for help. He is asking the Lord to save him. He asks the Lord to bring him into the light before it is too late. Have you ever felt like if the Lord didn’t save you soon, it would be too late? I know I have.
I had surgery one time when I was younger. It was an outpatient procedure. Tony was taking me home to recuperate, and we stopped at the grocery store to pick up some comfort food for recovery. I didn’t feel well and thought I might pass out. We sat on a bench, and I passed out. I remember feeling like I had been out for a long time, and then I heard someone say, “Call 911.” I remember thinking that if they hadn’t even been called yet, then I wasn’t going to make it until they got there. I was taken to the hospital, and I was fine, but I definitely was praying at that moment for God to help me immediately.
The Psalm also says, “Lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed,’ lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.” We don’t want the enemy to be able to say they won. We already know who wins the war between good and evil, and it is good. When Jesus died on the cross, He defeated death and evil once and for all! God will not let evil overcome us.
Finally, the psalm ends with the author reassuring the Lord of his trust. “But I trust in your mercy. Grant my heart joy in your salvation, I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me!” In the span of a few lines, the author goes from lamenting to begging God for help, to reassuring God that he trusts Him, and then he is singing to the Lord for all He has done. This is not uncommon. Sometimes in the course of praying for things, we realize how much God has done for us in the past, and our petitions or our lamenting turn to praise.
I was reading the devotional titled “Jesus Calling.” It is an awesome devotional with messages from the Lord for each day of the year. I really liked today’s as it goes with the message of this episode. I will leave you with the words from this devotional:
When many things seem to be going wrong, trust me. When your life feels increasingly out of control, thank me. These are supernatural responses, and they can lift you above your circumstances. If you do what comes naturally in the face of difficulties, you may fall prey to negativism. Even a few complaints can set you on a path that is a downward spiral by darkening your perspective and mindset. With this attitude controlling you, complaints flow more and more readily from your mouth. Each one moves you steadily down the slippery spiral, but it is possible to apply brakes. Cry out to me in my name! Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel. Thank me for everything, though this seems unnatural – even irrational. Gradually you'll begin to ascend, recovering your lost ground.
When you are back on ground level, you can face your circumstances from a humble perspective. If you choose supernatural responses this time: trusting and thanking me – you will experience my most unfathomable peace.
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to be with all those who are listening to this episode today. Lord, I ask you to be with all of us who are in a difficult place right now. Lord, please shine your light into the darkness. Please fill us with hope that you will save us before it is too late. Fill us with hope that our enemies won’t be able to say they defeated us. Lord, help us remember to praise you when times are hard. Remind us to thank you when times are hard. Help us not get caught up in negativity and keep us from falling down that slippery spiral. Show us how to apply the brakes and get back on ground level. Lord, I pray in a special way for each and every person listening to this episode who feels lost. Help them feel seen, Lord. We love you, Lord; you are amazing! We ask all of this in accordance with Your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen!
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If this series is speaking to you, make sure you follow or subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any of the 31 days of Hope in the Waiting. I look forward to meeting you here tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!
Today’s Word from the Lord was received in February 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today’s Word from the Lord is, “Just open yourself to the voice of the spirit. Sometimes the spirit doesn't speak. Sometimes the spirit just leads. Sometimes the spirit just gives you a thought and he wants you to act upon that thought. I know that you've all had those incidents in your life where that is what you have done. The spirit can be silent and still working. Follow the voice of the spirit. Follow the leadings of the spirit.”