How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Psalms 13:1-2
“How long?” appears 4 times in these two short verses. This kind of questioning of God is rarely if ever spoken in times of favour and spiritual prosperity (though we would expect the truly humble and reflective person to ask it, most never even consider the “unfairness” of prosperous times, so deep is our sense of entitlement).
But there is evidence of God’s favour even in these verses. Do you see it? Because of the sorrow, anguish and sense of defeat being experienced, the Psalmist is praying!
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity. Job 36:15
The sanctifying grace of prayer is squeezed out in times of adversity which in a very real way, makes adversity a true gift!