05/01/2017
VERSE OF THE DAY:
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Psalms 42:11
We all have times of discouragement. You can be successful and educated and spiritual but the day of despair will come. It may be a personal failure, a loss, or a betrayal, but the grief can go all the way down to your very soul. In our struggle with discouragement we turn to programs and pills and education and government or some thing else; though none give permanent hope, none really lift us up. Often our solutions leave our souls as depressed as before.
The author of this verse experienced deep depression. He uses words like “downcast,” meaning not able to look up. He was “disturbed,” meaning his peace was taken away. Who has not had those feelings some time?
The deepest problems of our heart are often answered by the simplest truths. “Put your hope in God,” not in money, or government or programs or relationships or education. Hope looks forward in faith and trust, one may say it is faith. We must actively trust God, and not spend our time feeling sorry for ourselves.
We can put this in practice by:
Meditating on His love.
Drawing close to God through His Word.
Review the promises He gives.
Remember He knows your inner need.
Remember He made you and understands you.
Express to God in prayer that you put your hope in Him.
When we focus on God and not on our problems we begin to find healing, and we have taken the first steps to lasting peace. To hope in God will lead to praise; like the verse says, “I will yet praise him” - there is a future beyond this trouble, and this sorrow is not all there is.
God is our “Savior.” We are not saved from our sins by an angel or any created person or thing; our own actions will not save us- instead we are saved by faith in God our Savior. God wants us to know the joy of salvation. Out of love God sent his Son to die for our sins, so if we trust Jesus He will be our Savior.
Whatever depression, defeat, or sorrow you carry I encourage you to "put your hope in God." Bring your grief to God in prayer, and keep praying until you can start to praise him, and continue to praise him.
