Psalm 42:2-3 (NIV)
"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'"

In life troubles and loss threaten to overwhelm us all too often. It is an unfortunate part of living in a sinful world. We often feel helpless in the face of our trials and tribulations. It can be a traumatic event, or a secret, inner pain that gnaws at the soul, allowing no respite or relief. We all have our occasional valleys of shadows we try to get through on the road of life. We each experience at some points in our lives walks through dark, gloomy tunnels where fear and distress permeate the walls and create thick fogs that hide the light at the end.

During times like these others who know us to be Christians, but are not Christians themselves, may ask us, "Where is your God?" When we feel that God is far away, we may feel so alone and isolated that we may ask ourselves the same question. Through our tears we seek to find God, to be close to Him again, not realizing that He is always with us and carries us through our darkest times if we let Him.

The way to hope and deliverance from the gloom is to take hold of the power and promises of God. By faith if we remember this and cast ourselves on the abundant mercy of God, He will see us through the dark times. We can take comfort in Him.

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42:11)

We need to have a faith that will encourage us to trust in the name of the Lord. The kind of faith that will enable us to triumph over all our griefs and fears. Let us never fall into thinking that the God of our life, the One who saves, has forgotten us. If we have made His mercy, truth, and power, our refuge then there remains no reason for our souls to be downcast or disturbed. Let not despondency overshadow our faith and hope. Let us learn to put aside all unbelieving doubts and fears. We need to believe that God is always with us and place our hope in that. Then we can truly praise God as or refuge in times of trouble, and as our Savior.