In the life of faith there are times when we experience suffering that not only comes from outside, but also from within. Guilt, regret, and the realization of our mistakes become a burden that burns the heart, presses the mind, and even feels gnawing at the body. This is the cry of David's heart in Psalm 38. He did not cover up his weakness. Nor did he defend himself. He says, "My complaint is not hidden from You."

Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst once said, "Neurosis is always a substitute for legitimate suffering." When man refuses to face his guilt honestly, the suffering does not disappear, but rather morphs into anxiety, hidden anger, or psychosomatic illness. Psalm 38 speaks of this kind of suffering. Not just physical pain, but pain that stems from unexplained moral and spiritual burdens. However, unlike our cultural tendency to hide shame or guilt, David did not run away from these feelings. He faced them in the light of his relationship with God. Despite the pain and loneliness, David prayed. He knew that God was the only place where he could process the guilt into healing.

We can see in verses 11-13, David describes how sin damaged social relationships. His friends stayed away. Those closest to him stood at a distance. How relevant this description is to today, where someone who makes a mistake is so quickly blamed, socially punished, and shunned without a willingness to listen first. Today's culture prefers to condemn rather than lead someone to repentance. But as this Psalm reminds us, anyone who truly brings their guilt before God will find mercy, even if the journey to recovery is long and arduous.

Friends of the Bible, we are again invited to be honest about what we feel. When the tongue is speechless, even a soft sigh is still heard by Him. For, before God, honesty about ourselves is the beginning of healing grace. David shows that in the midst of pain, brokenness, and social isolation, the voice of an honest heart is still heard by God. So let us come to God with humility and a willingness to cover nothing before Him.