day no. 14,272: unless they are hard pressed

Psalm 6

The word endure or persevere used in Scripture literally means, "remain under." It is being under fire, in the moment, in the trial, and remaining faithful to God. Few things prove to be more difficult than remaining under. Almost every instinct we possess pushes us to find a way to get out from under whatever is pressing in on us. But grapes do not produce wine unless they are pressed hard.

Here the Psalmist wrestles with nearly every common question a believer might ask while they remain under pressure: is this angry rebuke, is it loving discipline, it this going on longer than it needs to be, is this what life is now, is there any end in sight, can You hear me, Lord? etc…

But the Psalmist is sustained by God and even in the midst of all these questions and the continued pressure of remaining under great difficulty, a statement of faith and trust is produced: I know You hear me and I trust You will deliver me.  I know the mouths of those who mock will be stopped by the grace and strength of the Lord. I know. Even while everything else would say differently, I know. I believe. That is faith. That is perseverance. That is remaining under the grace of the Spirit of God while enduring under pressure.