PSALM 142
I cry aloud to the Lord;
I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I reveal my trouble to Him.
Although my spirit is weak within me,
You know my way.
Along this path I travel
They have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see:
no one stands up for me;
there is no refuge for me;
no one cares about me.
I cry to You, Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Listen to my cry,
For I am very weak.
Rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Free me from prison
so that I can praise Your name.
The righteous will gather around me
because You deal generously with me.
It’s not a popular idea in a generation of feel-good all the time theology, however loneliness, even among the most faithful, a person after God’s own heart, is not uncommon. As a pastor I have discovered that my life is often filled with love and companionship, yet I can also find myself lonely and troubled. There are few people who have difficulty finding someone to “vent” their frustrations and troubles with, but pastors, counselors, and physicians are among those who at times, because of confidentiality and trust issues, can find no one they are able to share their burdens with.
In those lonely times there is comfort in knowing that God is always there as a ready ear, even for our complaints and troubles. He knows that our lives are difficult, and it won’t always be praise songs on Sunday mornings. Sometimes we will hurt, we will suffer, and we will be abused and neglected. God is there and for us, “when the sun is shining down” as well as “when the road’s marked with suffering” (Redman & Redman, 2002).
Thank You God for being here in the lonely and difficult times, and for listening to my lament.
Redman, M. & Redman, B. (2002). Blessed be Your Name. Brentwood, TN: Thank You Music.
bigdbentley 
God is always there and if we are wishing for a human being and feeling as though God didn’t get that part of our prayer, as I find myself praying for sometimes, I am gently reminded that He is helping me to grow more and more dependent on Him for His power and presence in my life rather than being even slightly dependent on others in His place. I then remember that He is perfect and can love me without fail, without disappointment and without abandon. He should always be the one I run to. Thank you for sharing as your words remind us to lift up and pray for our Pastors, as well as all those in ministry or jobs that require a more delicate and complete confidentiality. We can learn from those in such positions and become closer to our loving Father, Lord – Creator and Master of our lives. The Lord is my strongtower. Even the Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the Righteous run unto it (to HIM) and are safe” Proverbs 18:10, NIV. (See Judges 9:61 for how storng towers were used for the protection of those in a city under siege and references in Psalm 61:3 to how God, Jehovah, Jesus, the trinity of God in all His fullness is available to us when we call on His name in times of need and with celebrations and praise.) prayerfully, Thank you Lord for calling me your own that we can share your love and word and run to you for safety in all our troubles and find you there to ehar our praises and prayers. In Jesus name I pray, amen.