Misery in the Mire

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

Psalm 40:1-2 (NLT)

            I’ve never been stuck in a mire – at least, physically. Mires are low areas where deposits of peat are so saturated with water that walking becomes heavy and sluggish. Mires often form where rain abounds and soil is impervious.

            But mires are not exclusive to certain countries or locations. They can often be found where pain and heartache abound: a devastating diagnosis; heartbreaking news; discouragement so deep it leaves us reeling; disappointment so bitter it eats away at our heart and soul.

            In Psalm 40, David voices his misery as he wallows in the mire. He isn’t simply referring to a setback, or a hindrance. He’s speaking of deep, emotional grief from which he cannot extricate himself. Powerful desperation which sucks him further and further into its murky depths. Helplessness that renders him exposed and vulnerable.

            Yet in the midst of his anguish, David waited. He waited on the LORD, confident God would never forsake him. He waited, convinced God would help him. He waited, secure in the knowledge that God saw every tear he cried. He waited, certain God heard his pleas. He waited, confident that God was with him even in the deepest and darkest moments of his life. Therein lies the key to hope in the midst of grief.

            Thankfully, God did not leave David to wallow in the mire. He reached down and pulled David from the depths of despair. Furthermore, He didn't leave him there, shivering beside the slough of despair; He set him on solid ground (some versions say “upon a rock”) and steadied him with His strong hand.

            It’s hard to wait patiently when we’re stuck in the mire. We want to climb out at any cost, do whatever it takes to remove ourselves from the pain, or cling to false hopes that eventually leave us disheartened when they don’t hold up under the pressures of life. But God urges us to wait patiently for His perfect timing and His perfect plan to be fulfilled.

There is no mire or pit so deep God cannot reach us. He hears our prayers, He sees our tears, He cares about our pain. In due time, He will reach down and save us. Because He loves us too much to leave us to wallow in the mire.