Hope and trust in God

Psalm 42:1-2 states, "As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."

Many of us have been thirsty during our lifetime, but have you ever been so thirsty that all you could think about was having something to drink? I have. It is a terrible feeling. The tongue becomes dry. The throat feels like sandpaper.

The body starts to react in ways it is unaccustomed. The brain starts to cry out, "When will this horrible feeling end? When will this thirst be quenched?" Satisfaction becomes an obsession.

That is how much our souls long for God. The soul cries out as it longs to be fed and nourished by God. It longs to be satisfied in a way that can be provided only by God.

If you feel a restlessness that you seem to not be able to satisfy, if you feel as though something is missing from your life but just don’t seem to know what it is, I dare say you are hungering and thirsting for the living waters that flow from God.

In order to find the comfort you are seeking, you must consciously avail yourself to pathways of nourishment. You must take steps to allow God’s life-giving water flow into your heart, mind, and soul: read the Bible, pray, make time for silence, worship.

Our God will satisfy the longing of your heart. He will grant you more fulfillment in life. He will quench the thirst of your soul.

Psalms 42 verse 11 says, "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Yes, put your hope and trust in our Lord. He has promised to hold you in the palm of his hand and satisfy the longing of your heart. Trust his promise. It’s a good one!

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Hope and trust in God