How to Be Real with God

This week’s post about some college silliness is published on The Glorious Table. Click here for the full post or begin a preview below.

When I was in college, I had the privilege of living with a bunch of gals who are now my lifelong friends. Back then, we were just trying to figure out life in our early twenties, who we wanted to be when we grew up, and of course, occasionally dating boys. As you might imagine, in a house of five women, this last part meant we were often talking about who we were seeing and who might be “the one.”

These women loved the Lord. We were in campus ministries, attended a local church plant, and went to Bible studies together. For this reason, Scripture verses were not uncommon in our duplex, written on sticky notes and stuck in strategic places. But, for the life of me, I cannot remember any of them specifically — except one. It was the one on the back of the front door and stayed there for a really long time, “Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me…” (Psalm 56:1, ?)

This is where, as an adult, I now roll my eyes and place my palm on my forehead. Good grief. Of course, we were not using this verse in its correct context. It was just a silly tongue-in-cheek reference that a bunch of college girls were using because, apparently, we thought we were pretty cute. It made me laugh then, and it still does. Those days with those girls were special. They were innocent days with so much hope for our careers, those boys (many of whom we married), and the beautiful families that have come along. I am so grateful for these relationships and the support they have been to me over the years.

I find it striking that the verse we used in such a silly, innocent way as college gals is actually the cry of David in an exceptionally dire situation. Supportive friendships could not be further from what David was facing as people were not only opposing him, but literally trying to kill him. While I can’t imagine that extreme, we all can learn something from how David prayed during that time. After all, despite all of David’s shortcomings, he was still referred to as “a man after God’s own heart.” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22, NIV) Let’s see how David approached God when people had turned on him and his very life was in danger.

To finish the full post link here to The Glorious Table.