Finding Hope in Suffering: A Journey of Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Call Out to God from the Depths

When you find yourself in the depths of suffering, whether from grief, loss, broken relationships, or the weight of life’s hardships, the first and most vital response is to call out to God. It is easy to turn first to our own plans, to friends, or even to unhealthy coping mechanisms, but true hope and help are found in desperate dependence on the Lord. God is not distant or disinterested; He is attentive to the cries of His people, and there is nothing wrong with a desperate plea for His help. Even Jesus, in His earthly life, consistently withdrew to pray to the Father in times of difficulty, modeling for us a life of humble dependence. No matter how deep your sorrow or how dark your night, you can call out to God, knowing He hears and cares for you. [12:38]

Psalm 130:1-2 (ESV)
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

Reflection: When you face suffering or discouragement, what is your first instinct—do you turn to God in prayer, or do you look elsewhere for help? What would it look like to make calling out to God your first response today?

Day 2: You Can Count on the Lord’s Forgiveness

There are times when our suffering is the direct result of our own sin, and the weight of guilt can feel crushing. Yet, God’s forgiveness is abundant and sure for all who turn to Him. He does not keep a record of our iniquities, and if He did, none of us could stand. Instead, He offers forgiveness so that we might have a right reverence and awe for Him—a fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom. Even when consequences of sin remain, God’s grace is not withdrawn, and His forgiveness is not diminished. In Christ, your forgiveness is secured, and God’s purpose is not only to pardon but to transform you, renewing your heart and mind so you may walk in wisdom and freedom. [22:23]

Psalm 130:3-4 (ESV)
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you are suffering because of your own choices or sin? Will you bring it honestly before God today, trusting in His forgiveness and asking Him to renew your heart?

Day 3: Waiting on the Lord with Hope

Sometimes, even after calling out to God and seeking His forgiveness, the situation does not immediately improve. In these seasons, God calls us to wait on Him, not with empty resignation but with hope rooted in His Word. Waiting is often the hardest part, but it is in the waiting that faith is forged and dependence on God deepens. The promises of God, revealed in Scripture, become an anchor for the soul during long nights of suffering. Cherishing and hiding God’s Word in your heart prepares you for these times, giving you hope and sustaining you when nothing else can. As the watchman longs for the morning, so we wait for the Lord, confident that He will come through in His perfect timing. [31:13]

Psalm 130:5-6 (ESV)
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

Reflection: What promise from God’s Word can you cling to as you wait for Him in a difficult situation? How can you intentionally hide His Word in your heart this week?

Day 4: Hope in God’s Steadfast Love

When suffering lingers, especially when it is connected to our own failures, we may be tempted to doubt God’s love. Yet, the steadfast love of the Lord is unchanging, abundant, and the foundation of our hope. God’s love is not based on our performance or faithfulness but on His character and the finished work of Christ. Even when you feel unworthy or distant, His love remains, and His redemption is plentiful—there is no pit so deep that His grace cannot reach. Trusting in God’s steadfast love not only brings comfort but also empowers you to resist sin and walk in freedom, knowing that nothing can separate you from His love. [40:41]

Psalm 130:7-8 (ESV)
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Reflection: In what ways have you doubted God’s love for you during times of struggle? How can you remind yourself today of His steadfast, unchanging love and let it shape your response to suffering?

Day 5: Share Your Testimony of Hope

Your journey through suffering and God’s faithfulness is not just for you—it is a testimony meant to encourage others. As you experience God’s forgiveness, deliverance, and steadfast love, you are equipped to share hope with those around you who are also walking through dark valleys. Your story of God’s sustaining grace can be a lifeline to someone else, pointing them to the God who redeems and never fails. Don’t keep silent about what God has done; let your testimony be a beacon of hope in your community, reminding others that with God, there is always redemption and a future. [38:48]

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Reflection: Who in your life could be encouraged by hearing how God has sustained you in a difficult season? Will you reach out and share your story of hope with them this week?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 130 offers a profound reflection on the journey of faith, especially in seasons marked by suffering, sorrow, and despair. The Psalms of Ascent, of which this is one, were sung by God’s people as they traveled to Jerusalem, and they mirror the spiritual pilgrimage every believer undertakes. Life with Christ is not a path free from hardship; rather, it is a journey that inevitably leads us through valleys of grief, loss, and even the consequences of our own sin. Yet, in these depths, we are invited to cry out to God, not as a last resort, but as our first and most vital response.

The psalmist’s cry “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord” is a model for us. Suffering is not an “if” but a “when” in the Christian life. Our instinct may be to rely on our own plans, seek comfort from friends, or even turn to destructive coping mechanisms, but the call is to turn first to the Lord in desperate dependence. Jesus himself modeled this, consistently withdrawing to pray in times of trial, showing us that prayerful dependence is not a sign of weakness but of true strength.

The psalmist also confronts the reality that sometimes our suffering is the direct result of our own sin. He acknowledges that if God were to keep a record of our iniquities, none could stand. Yet, with God there is forgiveness—not so we can take sin lightly, but so that we might grow in reverence and awe of Him. God’s forgiveness is not just a removal of guilt, but a means to transform us, to instill in us the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.

Waiting on God is often the hardest part of suffering. Deliverance does not always come immediately, and sometimes the waiting is long and painful. Yet, we are called to wait with hope, anchoring our souls in the promises of God’s Word. In seasons of waiting, the Word of God becomes our sustenance, and hiding it in our hearts prepares us for the darkest nights.

Ultimately, our hope is rooted in the steadfast love and abundant redemption of the Lord. No matter how deep our pit or how dark our path, God’s love and power to redeem are greater still. Our suffering, even when caused by our own failures, is not wasted; it becomes a testimony of God’s grace to others. The journey may be long, but the daybreak of Christ’s final deliverance is certain. We can count on His forgiveness, His deliverance, and His unchanging love.

Key Takeaways

1. Crying Out from the Depths: True spiritual maturity is not found in avoiding suffering, but in learning to cry out to God from the depths of our pain. Our first instinct should not be self-reliance or seeking comfort elsewhere, but a desperate, honest plea to the Lord, acknowledging our utter dependence on Him. Even Jesus, in His humanity, modeled this dependence through persistent prayer. [08:48]
2. The Paradox of Sin and Forgiveness: Sometimes our suffering is the direct result of our own sin, and the weight of guilt can feel crushing. Yet, God’s forgiveness is not just a legal transaction; it is meant to lead us into a deeper reverence and awe of Him. The fear of the Lord, born out of experiencing His grace, is the foundation for true wisdom and transformation. [20:32]
3. The Discipline of Waiting: Deliverance from suffering is rarely immediate, and God often calls us to wait—sometimes for relief from circumstances, sometimes for freedom from persistent sin. This waiting is not passive resignation, but an active, hope-filled trust in God’s promises. In the waiting, God is shaping our faith, teaching us dependence, and preparing us for deeper joy. [26:13]
4. The Power of God’s Word in Suffering: In seasons of darkness and waiting, the Word of God is not a quick fix, but a wellspring of hope and sustenance. Hiding God’s Word in our hearts equips us to endure when all other supports are stripped away. The truths we have cherished and meditated upon become the anchor for our souls when the night is long and the morning seems far off. [30:36]
5. Steadfast Love and Plentiful Redemption: God’s love is unchanging, even when we are faithless or when our suffering is self-inflicted. His redemption is abundant—there is no pit so deep, no sin so great, that His grace cannot reach and restore. Our hope is not in our ability to fix ourselves, but in the steadfast love and sure redemption of the Lord, who will ultimately deliver us from all our iniquities. [41:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:35] - Introduction to the Psalms of Ascent
[01:12] - The Journey of Faith and the Christian Life
[02:27] - Suffering and the Depths of Despair
[03:42] - Calling Out to God in Hard Times
[05:36] - The Reality of Suffering in the Christian Life
[08:48] - The Priority of Prayerful Dependence
[12:38] - Jesus’ Example of Dependence
[13:16] - The Assurance of God’s Forgiveness
[16:37] - Suffering as a Consequence of Sin
[20:32] - Forgiveness and the Fear of the Lord
[23:01] - Waiting for the Lord’s Deliverance
[26:47] - Hoping in God’s Word
[30:36] - Hiding God’s Word in Your Heart
[33:48] - The Longing for Deliverance
[37:35] - The Steadfast Love and Redemption of God
[41:58] - God’s Redemption Covers All Sin
[43:54] - Freedom from the Power and Presence of Sin
[45:09] - Final Encouragement and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 130 (ESV) — A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Observation Questions

What are some of the different reasons the psalmist (and we) might find ourselves “in the depths” according to the sermon? ([04:22])
In verses 3-4, what does the psalmist say about God’s response to our sin? How does this contrast with what we might expect? ([13:16])
What does the psalmist do while he is waiting for God’s deliverance? What is his source of hope during the waiting? ([23:01])
According to verses 7-8, what two things about God does the psalmist highlight as reasons for hope? ([37:35])

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says suffering is not an “if” but a “when” in the Christian life. Why is it important to be honest about this reality, both for ourselves and when we talk to others about following Jesus? ([06:12])
The psalmist says, “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” What does this reveal about our standing before God and our need for forgiveness? ([15:15])
The sermon points out that sometimes our suffering is a direct result of our own sin. How does God’s forgiveness change the way we view and respond to the consequences of our sin? ([17:56])
The psalmist waits for the Lord “more than watchmen for the morning.” What does this image communicate about the experience of waiting on God, and how might it shape our expectations in hard seasons? ([33:48])

Application Questions

When you find yourself in a season of suffering or despair, what is your first instinct? Do you tend to rely on your own plans, seek comfort from others, or turn to God in prayer? What would it look like to make crying out to God your first response? ([08:48])
The sermon mentioned that even Jesus, in his humanity, consistently withdrew to pray in times of trial. What practical steps could you take to follow Jesus’ example of prayerful dependence this week? ([12:38])
Have you ever experienced suffering as a direct result of your own sin? How did you respond, and what difference did God’s forgiveness make in your life? ([17:56])
The psalmist says that God’s forgiveness is meant to lead us into a deeper reverence and awe of Him. How can you cultivate a greater “fear of the Lord” in your daily life, especially after experiencing His grace? ([20:32])
Waiting on God can be the hardest part of suffering. Is there an area of your life right now where you are waiting for God’s deliverance or help? How can you anchor your hope in God’s Word during this season? ([26:13])
The sermon challenged us to “hide God’s Word in our hearts” so we are prepared for dark seasons. What is one specific way you can begin to memorize, meditate on, or cherish Scripture this month? ([30:36])
The psalmist ends with hope in God’s steadfast love and plentiful redemption. Is there a part of your story where you have seen God’s love and redemption at work, even in your failures? How might sharing that story encourage someone else? ([38:48])

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