Meet Ashley Phillips

The first word that comes to my mind when reading this verse is desperate. I held onto a verse similar to this through one of the hardest times of my life while I was far away from home. Now that I am back in my comfort zone, I realize how easy it is to begin depending on myself instead of the Lord. Shouldn’t I always feel a desperate dependence on the Lord? What capabilities have I convinced myself make me self-sufficient? How capable am I really?

Whether used in terms of dating or other life choices, the word desperate often gets a negative connotation. However, it is a word that delights our Lord and King. When He hears desperation, God knows His child is closer to seeing the need for Him. Desperate people need something outside of themselves. There is an internal understanding of inadequacy that must exist. David captures this well. He talks about his need for deliverance. A capable person wouldn’t be so desperate. Desperate is good.

The beauty of David’s desperation is best seen in his repeated pleas for help. This psalm is nearly identical to the last five verses of Psalm 40. God wants us to be confident in Him as our deliverer. He wants us to see that we need Him quickly, even desperately.

We must be careful, however, that our healthy desperation for the Lord doesn’t turn into despair. While desperation trusts God’s strength, despair doubts His power and abandons hope. "So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me." (2 Corinthians 12:9b)

We are pursued by an enemy that doesn’t want us to feel desperate. Our enemy makes us believe we are capable, but there comes a point when the charade is blown, and we are desperate for the Lord again. We must fight better. The volatility of the cycle of pride is so destructive. I pray God will allow us to see ourselves for who we are and the condition we’re in so that we may be desperate for Him daily.