Scripture of the Day:
Psalm 42:5 (NASB)
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.”
Psalm 42:5 (EXB)
“Why am I so sad [L are you cast down, my soul]? Why am I so upset [L are you groaning/in an uproar]?
I should [or will] put my hope in [wait for] God and keep praising [or will again praise] him, my Savior [Victor] and 6 my God.”
Psalm 42:5 (NET)
“Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention.”
Psalm 42:5 (ISV)
“Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for once again I will praise him, since his presence saves me.”
Ever been in a funk and you just don’t know why? Sometimes sadness envelops us and tries to snuff out hope. You try to push through it but you just can’t. Circumstances around you loom large and you don’t know how to overcome them.
David felt the same way. He certainly had a reason to feel that way. You might, too. But He did not stay there. We don’t have to, either.
The verse in Psalm 42 is such a beautiful prayer spoken by David – but it was so much more than words. It was a continuing action. He first questioned why he was so bummed. He did not understand it and it was hard to overcome. Examining the different versions gives us insight into what David did. He hoped. in God alone. One version said he waited. He told his flesh to wait on God. That’s what hope is, right? Waiting expectantly for God to meet our need. David did not wait in vain. He knew God always would meet hid need and he was helped by His presence. It was not a religious experience, but a relationship where David knew that he could bring his burdens to God and be comforted in His Holy presence.
David did not just sit there, though, and wait. He praised God. Thanked Him. Right in the middle of his heart being weighed down and sad. Now that is hard, isn’t it? Our feelings can rule us if we let them. But God has indeed given us a free will. We can choose to give in to feelings of sadness or fight them through prayer and praise. When sadness persists, we can adopt a stubborn hope because we know the one we hope in and He is well able to help us in our time of need. We have a choice and God’s presence enables us to choose to hope when hoping seems impossible.
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Waiting is not a passive activity. It is pressing in to draw nearer to God and rise above what is pulling us down. This hope we have is not conditional on getting what we hope for – it is hoping in God to meet us at our place of pain. Whether or not things go our way, we know our God is always for us. And He will hear and answer us when we call.
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Dealing with depression and anxiety has made a sad heart feel like a constant condition at times. I definitely agree that bringing ourselves to God just the way we are in that moment and not letting circumstances dictate how we treat God is huge in developing a lasting hope.
Thank you, Kallie. Yes, our battles with emotions can be daunting at times and seem pervasive, but our God is greater. He is able when we are not. Such great news! What a great living hope! Thank you for visiting today!