Learning to suffer

This week at good ol' Biola is the Torrey Conference. This year's focus is on suffering, personally, and globally. It's been a really encouraging time to seek God amidst suffering, even though my sufferings are barely comparable to the amount of pain, darkness and anguish throughout the world, but it's still comforting to seek God and let Him sit with me in my suffering. This has been a Psalm of David I have been returning to and sitting in with God.

Psalm 5

Give ear to my words, O LORD,

consider my sighing.

Listen to my cry for help,

my King and my God,

for to you I pray.

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation.

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;

with you the wicked cannot dwell.

The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;

you hate all who do wrong.

You destroy those who tell lies;

bloodthirsty and deceitful men

the LORD abhors.

But I, by your great mercy,

will come into your house;

in reverence will I bow down

toward your holy temple.

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies—

make straight your way before me.

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with destruction.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongue they speak deceit.

Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,

for they have rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.