Grit

Today’s reading got me thinking that it really takes grit to be a Christ follower. The same dude wrote both of these psalms. In Psalm 76 things are going well, he feels like God is with him, and he’s full of praise. In Psalm 77 things are going like crap, he feels like God is not with him, and he’s full of angst and bitterness.

But then something happens around verse 10. He finds a mental tenacity. He reaches deep and calls on a toughness of character. It’s a determined grit that says, “No, I won’t let my feelings rule. No, my circumstances don’t determine my theology. No, I’m not going to wallow in self-pity and assume the worst about God.”

And then (and though it’s easy for us to read, I’m sure it took intestinal fortitude to do this) he begins to recount all the things God has done, reminding himself of who God truly is, and bringing his mind and his emotions back to reality. That’s what you and I need to do as well. In fact, without that resolute grit, our circumstances will eventually overwhelm us and we’ll drown in our emotions.