Article September 17, 1966 Issue

"How long ... O Lord?"

CONSTANCE MARIE NEALE

Sometimes mortals, trapped by their own beliefs, believe that a condition of thought is a condition of matter or that there is an irrevocable set of circumstances from which they cannot escape. They may even think with despair that God has forgotten them.

There must have been times when the Psalmist felt like this, for on one occasion he wrote: "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?"^{Ps. 13:1, 2, 5, 6;} Wisely, he did not continue in this state of thought but turned from the mournful contemplation of his fears to affirm God's mercy and goodness, saying: "But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me."

The same way of release is open to us; that is, we can turn away from the contemplation of the situation as it seems to be to affirm the truth with thanksgiving and praise. Yet, one may ask, If the situation is not true, what is the truth of it, and how may I know it?

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