“When my spirit faints within me, you know my way…” (Ps. 142:3)

You may not be in a cave somewhere in ancient Palestine like David was when he wrote these words, but maybe you are experiencing times when you feel completely overwhelmed, to the point where you are ready to “pass out,” spiritually speaking. You find yourself exhausted, walking through the dry seasons of the soul, enduring attacks by the enemy and your own inner “demons.” Now, alone in your own “cave“of despair, it seems like you have lost your way. Promises and expectations lie shattered at your feet, and you don’t know the way to go.

Sadly, often at times like these, the ones we turn to for comfort only offer trite, ready made responses like, “Brother, you know the Bible says…” or “Sister, you just need to have faith.” Frankly, that’s the last thing we want to hear, and it does little if any good. I wish I had the magic answers for you. I wish I could provide you with an easy path out of your cave, but I can’t. These times hurt deeply, and there’s no wishing them away. But I can tell you that you’re not alone. Many of us are right there with you. And there are people who honestly do love you, and are praying earnestly for you. What’s even better is that Jesus knows exactly where you are- he knows your way.

I know you’re finding it hard to pray right now. You have to make yourself read the Bible, and you feel like such a hypocrite because you feel nothing at all-just going through the motions. But have you considered how precious you are to the Father, how his heart is filled with compassion for you as he sees you continue to cry out to him though he seems millions of miles away. Can you comprehend that although you desperately plead for this to all be over, God is with you even as he was with Jesus as blood oozed from his pores when he struggled in the garden of Gethsemane? Where you are is excruciating, but it will result in a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness and love for you. I know it’s hard to believe right now, but you’ve never been as near or dear to the Lord as you are right now. In the cave you’re learning that Jesus is the One who keeps you, not your own strength or your “spirituality.” You won’t be in the cave forever. You are not forgotten. You will come out of the cave refined, renewed and restored, for the Lord knows your way.