Do you desperately need God?  When you first read Psalm 42:1-2, you may believe this is a verse about peace. Instead, it is a Psalm of desperation and grief. When a deer is panting, it is running away from danger and needs water to be able to sustain its life. As you continue reading the Psalm, you hear the desperation of the author as he feels oppressed from his enemies and is experiencing feelings of depression. He is at a point where he really needs to experience God in his life.

Knowing that God is real and involved in our lives can be difficult to see. It is a lot like the wind. We can feel the effects of the wind and see the trees blowing in the gusts, but we cannot actually see the wind. In the same way, it is during difficult times in our lives that we feel and experience God at work. It would be nice if we were always comfortable and did not need to stress about life. But we would never experience the power of God if we were never desperate for His help.

Psalms 42 and 43 are connected and should be read together. The author is expressing his grief and then at the end he reaches a place of worship. What struggles are you going through in your life?  It may be health related, financial issues, difficult relationships. Whatever it may be, you need God!  You need His presence and comfort during a difficult time. You may not see Him, but trust me, you can experience Him in your life. However, God wants you to desperately seek Him. When you feel the presence of God at work in your life, it will humble you and lead you into a place of praise and worship! It’s your choice when experiencing struggles, you can seek the solutions from the world, or you can seek the power of God. What will you choose?

Read Psalms 42 and 43