David wrote in Psalm 69:3 “I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.” We see several things in this verse about David’s response to his trials, which may challenge us in ours:

— First, we should observe that during this time, he DID “wait for my God”! Despite all the difficulties he was enduring, he didn’t turn away from God; he turned TO Him to wait on Him. That challenges us to do the same thing as well.

– Also, we need to realize that the reason that he was crying and that his eyes failed was NOT because he didn’t turn towards God in this time. He HAD turned towards God; he was continuing to wait for Him. It was in the midst of this very seeking that he had so much agony. This serves as a needed reminder to us that Christianity is not always as simple as “turn to God, and that instant, all your tears are turned to joy.” It is just not that “quick and easy” every time. It was not for David here! His eyes failed WHILE he was waiting for God! Yet he persevered in waiting for Him – which is an example for us to do likewise, even when it is agonizing for us to do so.

— Finally, and very importantly, David called Yahweh, “MY God.” The reason he continued to wait on the Lord was because God really was his own, personal God. If He wasn’t, David wouldn’t have turned to Him, or KEPT looking to Him, even when things were so bad. Thus in a very real way, our trials show us – and others – where our hope is, and who our God really is. When we look to Him, and continue to look to Him, despite the wait, despite the agony, despite the tears, then we can truly say, He is “MY God”! And the opportunity to affirm by faith that we really are His, and that He really is ours, despite all circumstances, may be one of the very purposes God intended for our trial in the first place.