When You're Losing
It’s one thing to lose in a meaningless sports game but quite another to face defeat in other areas of our life.
In Psalm 25 we are faced with the question, What do we do when we are losing? When things are going against us in every way possible? You ever been there?
David knew how to win for sure. Since his childhood, he had experienced success in his life from his own skill and the supernatural help of the Lord. From his bare-handed battle with wild animals to his underdog victory over Goliath, David knew how to win.
For every victory David tasted, there was an equally frequent moment of loss. In Psalm 25, we have one of the many occasions where he is NOT winning. In these verses, David gives us what the behavior of the man or woman of God should be when darkness abounds.
His situation is described in the latter verses 16-19. In these verses he describes himself as:
Desolate and afflicted…troubles…distresses…affliction…pain: David had many enemies who were set against him and he was feeling the heat and pressure of being defeated in this moment.
David was experiencing what Paul talked about a few thousand years later in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10: "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body."
So what do we do when we look up at the scoreboard and realize the enemy is winning? As we read this Psalm, we see in the life of David principles and practices that held him steady in his most difficult days.
When we are “losing" what should we do?
Stay surrendered to the Lord v.1
In this Psalm, we see radical dependence upon the Lord. David declares in the opening words which direction his heart was looking for help. While David had questions for God his dependence upon God was not in question in this moment.
"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul."
Pursue God’s purpose in this moment v.4-5
David immediately begins pursuing God for His will. In these verses he prays to God, “Make me know your ways, Teach me your paths, Lead me in your truth.” In the midst of pain, our greatest prayer should not just be for deliverance from it, but also to understand the purpose and the lessons we are to learn from it. Our most difficult moments are never just about our misfortune, but in them we can find a pearl of the purpose of God.
J.I. Packer says, "If you ask, 'Why is this happening?', no light will come, but if you ask, 'How am I to glorify God now?', there will alway be an answer."
Stay close to Jesus to listen to what He is saying in this moment v.14-15
Fundamentally, pain, loss, and darkness are hard to understand. Things happen around us and to us that are very hard to wrap our minds around. What should we do?
In verses 14 and 15, there is a beautiful description of what we do to gain a better understanding and to ultimately come out victorious.
"The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.
My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will rescue my feet from the net."
David declares in these verses that the “secrets” or the intimate understanding of the ways of God are reserved for those who fear the Lord.
“This reminds us that there are realities of Christian knowledge and experience known only by those who have new life by the Spirit of God; To explain such secrets to those who do not have the Spirit of God is like explaining colors to a blind man or musical harmonies to a deaf man." -Guzik
Ultimately, David declares with confidence that it is God that will deliver his “feet from the net”.
Today, you may be experiencing a lot of defeat and perhaps your outlook is as grim as my Colts. Stay humble, stay surrendered, continue to seek God’s will, and stay close to Jesus. In intimacy with Him, we will ultimately understand and through Him, we will ultimately win again!
Pastor Troy Keaton
In Psalm 25 we are faced with the question, What do we do when we are losing? When things are going against us in every way possible? You ever been there?
David knew how to win for sure. Since his childhood, he had experienced success in his life from his own skill and the supernatural help of the Lord. From his bare-handed battle with wild animals to his underdog victory over Goliath, David knew how to win.
For every victory David tasted, there was an equally frequent moment of loss. In Psalm 25, we have one of the many occasions where he is NOT winning. In these verses, David gives us what the behavior of the man or woman of God should be when darkness abounds.
His situation is described in the latter verses 16-19. In these verses he describes himself as:
Desolate and afflicted…troubles…distresses…affliction…pain: David had many enemies who were set against him and he was feeling the heat and pressure of being defeated in this moment.
David was experiencing what Paul talked about a few thousand years later in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10: "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body."
So what do we do when we look up at the scoreboard and realize the enemy is winning? As we read this Psalm, we see in the life of David principles and practices that held him steady in his most difficult days.
When we are “losing" what should we do?
Stay surrendered to the Lord v.1
In this Psalm, we see radical dependence upon the Lord. David declares in the opening words which direction his heart was looking for help. While David had questions for God his dependence upon God was not in question in this moment.
"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul."
Pursue God’s purpose in this moment v.4-5
David immediately begins pursuing God for His will. In these verses he prays to God, “Make me know your ways, Teach me your paths, Lead me in your truth.” In the midst of pain, our greatest prayer should not just be for deliverance from it, but also to understand the purpose and the lessons we are to learn from it. Our most difficult moments are never just about our misfortune, but in them we can find a pearl of the purpose of God.
J.I. Packer says, "If you ask, 'Why is this happening?', no light will come, but if you ask, 'How am I to glorify God now?', there will alway be an answer."
Stay close to Jesus to listen to what He is saying in this moment v.14-15
Fundamentally, pain, loss, and darkness are hard to understand. Things happen around us and to us that are very hard to wrap our minds around. What should we do?
In verses 14 and 15, there is a beautiful description of what we do to gain a better understanding and to ultimately come out victorious.
"The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.
My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will rescue my feet from the net."
David declares in these verses that the “secrets” or the intimate understanding of the ways of God are reserved for those who fear the Lord.
“This reminds us that there are realities of Christian knowledge and experience known only by those who have new life by the Spirit of God; To explain such secrets to those who do not have the Spirit of God is like explaining colors to a blind man or musical harmonies to a deaf man." -Guzik
Ultimately, David declares with confidence that it is God that will deliver his “feet from the net”.
Today, you may be experiencing a lot of defeat and perhaps your outlook is as grim as my Colts. Stay humble, stay surrendered, continue to seek God’s will, and stay close to Jesus. In intimacy with Him, we will ultimately understand and through Him, we will ultimately win again!
Pastor Troy Keaton
Troy Keaton is the Pastor of EastLake Community Church in Smith mountain Lake Virginia. Troy, his wife Janel, and their four children, Natalie, Allyson, TJ, and Trever, founded EastLake in 2005. Today, EastLake is a thriving church that is making disciples of Christ and raising up the next generation of leaders who are passionate about spreading the fame of Jesus. He and Pastor Marco also serve together with 64 fellowship, a ministry supporting pastors who seek to maintain the priorities of prayer and the ministry of the word.