Do you regularly do a self-examination of where you are as a follower of Christ? John Wesley had small groups that would regularly ask these questions as a part of their group. If you are in a small group, you might want to include these questions in your group or individually reflect on them. They can be enlightening and very convicting.
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
1 Corinthians 10:23 (NKJV)
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24
- Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
- Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?
- Can I be trusted?
- Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
- Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
- Did the Bible live in me today?
- Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
- Am I enjoying prayer?
- When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?
- Do I pray about the money I spend?
- Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
- Do I disobey God in anything?
- Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
- Am I defeated in any part of my life?
- Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
- How do I spend my spare time?
- Am I proud?
- Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
- Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
- Do I grumble or complain constantly?
- Is Christ real to me?
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jim
Studying the Bible can be powerful and meaningful, but also overwhelming. I realize that people can get very frustrated when they study the Bible. So, my blog today is about the different ways you can study the Bible effectively.
Studying the Bible is really not much different than reading it. You need to plan a regular time for it, have a favorite comfortable place to study at and pray before you start and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you insights to what you are reading.
The Bible is really one big story that has many shorter stories. The Bible has a grand narrative that helps us frame our interpretation and lead to a balanced theology. The big overall story helps us better understand the shorter stories.
In studying the Bible:
Get a Good Study Bible
If you have a favorite translation of the Bible, I would get a study Bible that has the same translation. A study Bible gives you some insight to key verses and sections. They also give you maps and some archaeological and background information, which can be very helpful.
You can start with Genesis, but that can be overwhelming. I would suggest, like reading the Bible, starting with the book of John. An even shorter, but powerful story, is found in 1 John. As you get more confidence and practice in your study, you could go to a longer book.
Ask Questions
For example:
What does this text teach me about God?
What does this teach me about fallen humanity?
How does this text point to Christ? (John 5:39, Luke 24:25-27, 44-47)
What does God want me to Know?
How do I apply this to my life?
Understand the Background of the Book
Who wrote the book? When was it written? What is the overall theme of the book? What does the author want you to know? If you have a study Bible, most of this information is in the introduction of the book. I like to read through the outline of each book, which is also at the beginning of each book of the study Bible.
Use Multiple Commentaries
Multiple commentaries help you get and understanding what others think. I use several online commentaries, including Bible Hub and Blue Letter Bible.
Context Matters
Studying the Bible and focusing on one verse, can get you to misinterpret what the author is trying to tell you and the original audience. Be sure to look at the verses before it and after it, to get the broader picture of the book or the chapter. Commentaries also give you great information about the context of the chapter and verses.
I have been studying and teaching the book of Isaiah. I find it helpful to print out the chapter that I am studying from Bible Gateway and break it down in sections. For some reason, printing it out and dividing it into sections helps me better understand the chapter.
Find a Study Partner
A great way to study the Bible is to join a small group or find another person to study the Bible with. This helps you be accountable and gives you someone that can share their insight as to what the particular scriptures mean.
Study by Topic
If you have a topic that you are drawn to, you can look up the topic online or in a concordance that has all the scriptures that pertains to that subject. When you study the Bible by topics, you can study real life concerns or subjects in the moment you need them. It’s amazing how much you can learn about the Bible by studying topics. For some it is the only way they study the Bible.
Study by Story or Character
The last way to study the Bible is by a particular story or by a character. If you heard someone talk about the Prophet Elijah, and wanted to know more, you can go to 1 Kings 17-19 and 2 Kings 1-2 and read all about him. Another way to really grasp the story is to verbally tell it after you have studied it. It’s amazing how much you retain after you tell a story to someone.
I hope this helps you with your study of the Bible.
Have a blessed day,
Pastor Jim
Questions? Contact Pastor Jim here.
Some people have a difficult time reading the Bible, because they don’t know how, or they don’t know where to begin. It can be overwhelming and can become frustrating when you just don’t understand what it all means. I understand because I have been there. Here are some tips to help.
Pray
Before you start reading, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you and guide you through the reading of the Bible. This may seem simple, but it does help.
Start Somewhere
If you have never read through the entire Bible, which probably includes most people, I would suggest that you start with the book of John. The book of John gives a clear picture of what the bible is about and introduces you to Jesus. The entire bible from beginning to the end points to Jesus. An interesting note about John is that it starts the same way Genesis does, “In the beginning.”
I would also suggest that you get a good biblical timeline. This helps you have more clarity of the who, what, when and where questions.
What you want to understand from the bible is who God is, what are His characteristics and what are His promises to you.
Something else that can be overwhelming is what version of the Bible to use. I would try different versions to see which one you connect with the best. If you are looking for one that reads in current style, the Easy-to-Read version or the Message might be one that you would like. You could also go to the bookstore and pick a Scripture like Psalm 23 and read different versions and compare how they read and or sound to you. Or you could go to https://www.biblegateway.com/ and look at the different versions online.
Find a Reading Plan
There are many reading plans that you can use. The chronological plan maybe good for those who have not read the Bible before. Start at Genesis and go straight thru to Revelation. There are many chronological plans that give you a one year reading plan. Those plans take about 15 minutes a day to read. You can also find the plans where you can listen to the readings, instead of actually reading it. You can go to the App store and find some great apps on the bible; You Version is one of the most popular.
There is another popular plan where you read a chapter in the Old Testament, Part of or all a Psalm, a portion of a Proverb, and some verses in the New Testament. This maybe confusing for your first time reading, but it could be good for the 2nd time that you read through the Bible.
I do want to make something clear; the Bible is not to be read once and then put down. It should be read repeatedly. It is amazing how you didn’t notice something before and do notice it now. It is amazing how you didn’t understand something before, but now you understand the meaning of a verse or chapter.
Schedule Some Time
Don’t leave it to chance, pick a time and a place each day to read thru the Bible. This gives you some consistency in reading the Bible and it can end up being the best part of the day. You could also read it for a period of time each day, for instance, take 30 minutes a day at 7:00 am, at your favorite reading chair. You could read thru the Bible entirely in 6 months, by devoting 30 minutes a day to your reading.
For those who like to journal, you might write your thoughts down each day or write down any questions that you might have had, and you can go back to them as you read and learn to study the Bible.
And Finally – Don’t Give Up
The key to reading the Bible is that you are reading God’s Word and you are connecting to Him, through His word. If you get behind, don’t just put it down, if you don’t have the time to catch up. You could either start where you left off and catch up when you can, or you could skip the part that you missed and take up where the Bible plan is at.
For my next blog, I will give you different ways to study the Bible.
Enjoy your time with God,
Pastor Jim Stilwell
Contact Pastor Jim here with questions or comments.
Over the years, it seems that fewer and fewer people read the Bible. People, even believers, have talked about how the Bible is outdated and irrelevant for today. But is it? The Bible is the most printed and read book in history. There has been more evidence discovered over the centuries, that confirms the validity of the Bible, than any other ancient historical document. The Word of God can change your heart and absolutely transform your life. The Bible wasn’t written to be just a piece of history, but to be read with the mind and the heart of each person. Did you know that God loves us? He loves us know matter who we are and what we have done. He wants you to come to Him and develop a relationship with Him.
Eight reasons we should read and study the Bible:
To know the one and only true God–
God created the heaven and the earth and everything in it. We should want to know the creator.
To enjoy and to love God–
We should want to know His character, His promises, and His purposes for our lives. We can rejoice in His love, mercy, and forgiveness.
To know and to understand His Word-
According to 2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Jesus is called the Word of God because he is the ultimate communication from God. (John 1:1-3)
To learn direction in life–
The Bible shows us what we should and shouldn’t do. The Bible guides us to truth, which is Christ. (John 16:13, John 14:7)
To find comfort and hope–
Scriptures give us hope and comfort when we need it. We can always go to God when we are down and need to be lifted up. (Romans 15:4)
To let us see our innermost thoughts and desires–
God’s Word helps us to see ourselves as we really are and through the Holy Spirit, convicts us of sin so that we can repent and change. (Hebrews 4:12-16)
To become pure and holy–
Jesus prays a beautiful prayer in John 17:17-23 for all believers would be set apart for God and for His holy purpose.
To understand the Great Commandment and the Great Commission–
As believers these two are essential for our walk with God. We should know and fully understand them. (Matthew 22:34-40, 28:34-40)
These are just a few of the reasons we should read and study the Bible. God maybe speaking to you right now as you have read this blog. In my next blog, I will write about different ways you can read the Bible and find which way is best for you.
Have a blessed Day,
Pastor Jim Stilwell
You can email Pastor Jim with comments or questions here.
Reference: “How to Study the Bible” by Rose publishing
How to Pray: A Beginner’s Guide
by Pastor Jim Stilwell
Prayer, in its very simplest form, is talking to God. You can spend 1 minute, 5 minutes, 30 minutes or more with God. The key is to have a regular practice. You can bow your head, close your eyes, lift your hands, or fold them in your lap. Find a quiet moment in your favorite place and talk to God.
You first want to prepare your heart. You could simply say, “I open my heart to you Lord and to your glorious Presence.”
Here is a simple structure for your prayers we call A.C.T.S.
A -Adoration
(1 Chronicles 29:11). Praise God for who he is. Tell him how much you love him and reflect on His greatness. Worship and praise God with your heart mind and voice.
You could say several times “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty; the earth is full of your glory. (Isaiah 6:3)
C- Confessions
(1 John 1:4-9) Confess to God your known and unknown sins. Ask God to purify ALL your unrighteousness. It is amazing how much better I feel when I pray for God to purify my heart. When you pray that prayer, be sure to let go of those things that you confessed and have felt guilt or shame of, because God has forgiven you. Hebrews 8:12 says, “ I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.”
Psalm 51:10-13 is another great scripture on purifying your heart. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
You can also ask God to search your heart and to see if there is anything in my heart that is not of you and wait to see how God responds (Psalm 139:23-24).
T- Thanksgiving
Ephesians 5:20 tells us to “always give thanks for everything…” Express your gratitude to God. Try to think of specific things that you are grateful for. Thank him for his goodness and for his steadfast love. Thank him for the many blessings that he has given you in your life, the protection, the provision, the doors that he as opened and closed and for the many opportunities he has given you.
Psalm 100:4-5 says “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
S- Supplication
(Matthew 7:7) This is the part of the prayer where you ask God earnestly and humbly your petitions for yourself, for others, or for anything that God puts on your heart. You can be narrow within just your sphere of influence or as wide as missionaries, world issues, or specific issues that you are passionate about. This part is very powerful because you can intercede for something or someone who can’t intercede for themselves or don’t know how. This is also a place that God will put someone or something on your heart for you to lift up. I am amazed when I ask God for him to put on my heart something he wants me to pray for, how many things or people just pop into my heart and mind.
Please remember that you are talking to the creator of the Universe, His love is great, His power is unlimited. Take time to just take that in before you go about your day.
Grace and Peace to you,
Pastor Jim
Comments or questions? Email Pastor Jim
First Things – Setting Yourself up for Success
Pastor Bob Feist
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
Sometimes in life we’re just drifting along spiritually. It can seem like we’re on a lazy river. Have you been there? Other times we’re inconsistent. We start then we stop, we get started again, and then get sidetracked. Did you have any spiritual starts and stops last year? It’s easy to lose focus or become distracted in normal times let alone these crazy covid times. But then for some there are times, even in the midst of adversity, when we get fired up, when we become passionate, when we become spiritually on fire. I don’t know about you but for me – times of greatest spiritual vitality often happen right in the middle of my greatest struggles. Charles Dicken’s famous opening line in Tale of Two cities– “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” is often descriptive of what is going on in my spiritual life.
Jesus taught some helpful things. Once when he gathered his disciples and was teaching them about not being consumed by worry, or fear, or the cares of life he said something simple yet profound. He said Put God first. Don’t worry about the everyday cares of life, your heavenly Father knows you need them. In Matt 6:33 Jesus said, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV) He’s talking about putting first things first.
What are some practical ways to do that? How can we go about this in ways that make sense in our everyday lives?
At the first of the day: seek God
We can intentionally seek God at the beginning of each day. The Psalmist says in Ps 63:1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; (NIV) We can make that a conscious effort. I try to make God the first focus of my thoughts in the morning when I wake up. First, I listen – is there an answer or some insight about a problem I’ve been wrestling with? Often right then – there is a thought or an insight that helps. That’s great! And then as I walk our dog Daisy through the neighborhood, I listen to my The Bible in One Year devotion & scripture passages in my ear buds. And it’s amazing how God brings Scripture passages or insights to bear on what I’m facing. I’ve become fanatical about my morning time with God. I don’t want to miss it. Jesus was intentional about seeking God. We read in Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (NIV) The first of the day we can seek God.
First day of the week: worship
This was certainly a priority in the early church. In Acts 20:7 we read: On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread. (NIV) If you want 2022 to be a great year spiritually, make worship a priority. Lord this year I’m going to seek you in worship. I’m going to be in worship, either in the Sanctuary or online if I can’t make it. And I’m going to come expecting you to speak to me. I’m going to be fired up about worship. And we will continue to do our best to make worship dynamic, meaningful, impacting. Make it a priority to connect in worship. And come expecting.
First of the month we can seek God: with the tithe
Setting aside a percentage of our income with the tithe or “tenth” being the goal. For the children of Israel in the OT this was part of their faith relationship with God – In Lev 27:30 we read, A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. (NIV) This practice of bringing the first fruits of the land encouraged God’s people to trust him. It also was a practical means of funding God’s ministry on earth. That’s how the Temple was cared for, the priests were provided for, and the poor were helped – through those tithe offerings.
First of the year: fast
Fasting is a spiritual practice used for centuries to seek God and put first things first. It has always been a means of saying, God, I’m serious. I’m going to deny my body it’s normal diet of food, to focus my attention and energies on You and Your will.
Remember this – Jesus encourages us to put first things first – to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things will be added unto us. That’s a great promise for a new year. For now – what’s one step you can take today to put first things first in your life?
With many unknowns concerning the spread of disease, I have been in a quandary for two years concerning my hobby and my passion – the act of SINGING. Especially in group settings, we have been discouraged from participation However, there’s a wealth of previous research that proves the benefits of singing on health and wellbeing across your lifespan. Here are 4 benefits of singing.
Physiological
Immediately after singing, studies show singers have higher levels of the protein, Immunoglobulin A, an antibody known to benefit the immune function of mucous membranes. Research has also shown that the increased airflow in your lungs during singing lessons the likelihood of bacteria in your upper respiratory track. Singing strengthens your immune system.
When you sing, you breathe well, use your diaphragm, and increase oxygen intake and lung capacity. According to research, improved breathing and knowledge breath helps dealing with anxiety and panic attacks
Singing is an aerobic activity and exercises major muscle groups in upper body. Singing helps improve the efficiency of your cardiovascular system. Because singing encourages the body to take more oxygen, alertness is increased.
Connected to the vocal cords and the back of the throat, the vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, connecting the brain to various organs. A key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, this vagus nerve influences breathing, digestion and heart rate among other things. A 2010 study showed that the more you increase your vagal tone the more your physical and mental health improve and the faster you can relax after stress.
In scientific studies of people suffering chronic pain, singing has been shown to alleviate the pain symptoms for not just immediately afterward but for up to 6 months later. The studies have also shown that singing could have a real impact on the amount of pain relief medication used by participants. This is particularly interesting given the long-term negative side effects that pain medication can have on the body.
Emotional
When people sing, endorphins and oxytocin are released by the brain which in turn lowers stress and anxiety levels. The natural hormone hypothalamus enhances feelings of trust, bonding, improves depression and feelings of loneliness.
With the release of endorphins, singers feel an energy boost. The act of learning a new skill, improving and being part of group helps to influence your confidence and self-esteem.
So much is going on in your body when you sing that allows your mind to focus fully. You can “turn off” your stream of consciousness and lie completely in the moment, distracting your mind from negative thoughts. You can focus on the sound, the action, the breathing the feeling and the pleasure of the song. Mindfulness has been proven to reduce stress and increasing focus on tasks.
Behavioral
Singing helps you believe in yourself and increases self-efficacy. It provides an unthreatening way to express emotion. Instead of eliminating stressful situations from your life (usually not possible), emotional-focused coping is a powerful tool in managing stress techniques that help you become less emotional reactive to stress.
Social
Singing is an intimate and personal activity however, when you share it with others, it helps strengthen bonds and cohesion. No matter the quality of tones, group singing is an excellent icebreaker for groups and can synchronize individual heartbeats. When people have mental illness, creating and sustaining social bonds is critical in combatting loneliness and depression.
Singing with others creates a strong sense of community and inclusion. It enhances possibilities of relationship and positive group identity. Social inclusion is a key part of emotional recovery and encourages support systems where individuals feel loved, esteemed and values which creates a positive influence on overall physical health.
Hoping we can be heard singing together soon,
Larry Downey
Worship Arts Director
By Chris Maricle, Certified Parent Educator
The world can be a scary place. Today’s children are exposed to scary news stories about natural disasters and global conflicts on TV and computer screens. As a parent or grandparent, you may be wondering how to respond. Some people try to ignore these events in hopes that their child may not be aware of them, and others explain everything in a way that traumatizes children. Obviously, there are better ways. Here are some suggestions.
Limit graphic images.
News channels often replay the same event over and over, but children may not realize that they’re watching replays, so they may conclude that tornadoes are happening in every town every day. Turn off the TV if a tragic event is shown repeatedly – and be sure your child doesn’t have his own TV or computer screen in his room! As a parent or grandparent, you need to be aware of what your child is seeing.
Be honest.
Explain what happened if your child asks. Use age-appropriate language without giving so much information that the child becomes more fearful. Changing the subject, ignoring the request, or saying, “You don’t need to know about that” can cause children to become more anxious.
Take children’s fears seriously.
“I can see that you’re worried about this. Let’s talk about it” is a better response than saying, “You shouldn’t be scared. Shake it off!” Encourage your child to talk to you about what she is thinking. Ask open-ended questions about the event she saw. What did she see? Ask how she felt when she saw that. Reassure your child that you are there for her, and that you will do everything you can to keep her safe.
Share prayer and Scripture messages that give comfort.
You can say, “When people in the Bible were upset or scared, they wrote about how God loves and cares for us. Let’s ask God to help you remember that He loves you and will care for you. And I will always love and care for you too.”
Here are some sample Scripture passages:
Psalm 23:1-3, Psalm 28:7, Romans 8:35-39, Isaiah 43:5a, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Sing “Jesus Loves Me” together and thank God for sending Jesus to be our friend and teacher.
Encourage comfort items.
It’s fine if your child wants to hug his favorite stuffed animal, suck his pacifier, or be rocked by you. Children who are comforted grow up to deal more effectively with their struggles than those whose parents make fun of those items or make them “off limits.”
Encourage play.
Physical activity often helps overcome fears. Kids often play through their worries or fears as a way to cope. If your child is re-enacting the news, pretending to be a firefighter running into a burning building or using his toys to rescue people from a hurricane, encourage it. Some kids might like to draw pictures that depict helping people who have been hurt.
Be part of the solution.
In response to an event, ask your child if she would like to help. You may not be able to take her to the scene of the incident, but look for ways your family can contribute to a cause that helps others: donate money, pack an Operation Christmas Child shoebox, make get-well cards, take cookies to a neighbor, collect groceries to bring to church for Restore Hope, etc.
by Pastor Bob Feist
Many times, we find ourselves in the middle of everyday struggles. Certainly, this last year has provided all of us with some new and different struggles. What do you do when that struggle turns into depression?
Because depression is an emotional state, we all experience it from time to time in our life. Half of Americans in a recent poll said they or their family members have suffered from depression My guess is the other half of us are just still in denial about it.
Generally, we know that bouts of depression are part of life. People in the bible certainly were acquainted with depression. Elijah got to the place he prayed God would let him die he was so bummed out and it happened right after his great victory against the prophets of Baal. Hannah wept and experienced bitterness of soul in her barrenness, so much so that Eli the priest thought she was drowning her sorrows in alcohol when in fact she was crying out in prayer. David regularly struggled with feelings of loneliness, isolation, and discouragement as his enemies tried to do him in on every side. They experienced despair and deep heartache, but God delivered them. I believe God can deliver us.
1. Admit you are depressed.
David writes, Ps 42:5,11 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?” First, you must admit that something is wrong. I don’t know about you but sometimes I don’t want to admit it. Being depressed is not something any of us enjoys and when those times come, it’s not something we want to go around talking about – “Yeah I’m really in the pit of depression these days – I’m really struggling and I just had to share.” That’s usually the last thing we want to do – talk with anybody about it because talking about it means facing it and often we don’t want to face our depression — we’d like to ignore it or hope it will go away.
2. Accept your tears.
If you are going to defeat the sting of depression in your life, you need to accept your tears. David said Psalm 42:3 “Day and night my tears are my only food as everyone keeps asking, “Where is your God?” (CEV) I don’t know about you, but I’ve come to realize that tears often come with depression. Sometimes you can feel so overwhelmed with sorrow and sadness or shame and disappointment that the tears just flow. That’s nothing to be ashamed of – let them flow. Ps 42:7 says “All your waves and billows have gone over me, and floods of sorrow pour upon me like a thundering waterfall. (Living)
3. Address the pain.
What is it that is causing our depression? Sometimes we are pretty self – aware, something has happened, and we know why we’re feeling so blue. Other times we don’t have a clue. These feeling of despair and sadness just show up out of nowhere and we can’t put a finger on the cause.
Many times the cause of our depression boils down to one simple thing – unrealized expectations in life. You have hopes for one thing, expectations that things will turn out one way but instead they turn out another. Hello? You started with plan A but now your on plan B, C, or D.
You have plans for children and a family and you want it all to turn out like “Leave it to Beaver” But sometimes children don’t come, you’re unable to have them, and that is a special kind of pain, or when they do come your experience of parenthood turns out to be a lot different than you thought. That’s difficult to deal with too. Unrealized expectations in our families can depress us.
4. Ask the hard questions.
David, asked the same question 3 times in Psalm 42 “ Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless?” (GW) You have to be willing to ask hard questions of yourself. God, is there something that I’m not seeing here that you want me to see? Why am I so discouraged? Why am I so restless? Sometimes your discouraged and restless because you’re not operating according to God’s plan for you life – guess what — you won’t be fully satisfied or fulfilled until you do. Rick Warren suggests God has 5 primary purposes for every human being. Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, and Missions. Maybe your discouraged and restless because your out of balance in some or all of these purposes. Ask yourself the hard questions.
5. Affirm God’s goodness.
In spite of everything that is happening around you, find a way to affirm God’s goodness. David said, in Ps 42:6 “My soul is discouraged” still “I will remember you.” Some of the most delightful people I know are the people who stay delighted in God no matter what else is happening. What a testimony! Those of you who knew the late Janet Holt remember her steadfast confession from Ps 118:24: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Janet went through some difficult times throughout her life, but you wouldn’t know it. She made it a point to rejoice in the Lord always and affirm God’s goodness.
6. Anchor your hope in God.
If you look at this passage closely, you notice that before David ever begins to deal with the circumstances of his depression, he declares his faith in God. Notice the word picture he paints. Ps 42:1-2 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (NIV) In other words David is saying, “Lord I’m seeking you. You’re still the One. I pant. I thirst for You.” Again, that is the voice of maturity speaking. The voice of someone who has learned that there is no better hope than hope in God.
When your life is anchored in God, there is nothing on this side of heaven you can’t face. That’s what the psalmist David was expressing in this scripture. How does your faith give you hope in the face of hopelessness, despair, and even death? Anchor your life, lay the foundation now for whatever may come, by placing your hope and your faith in the living God and in His son Jesus, our Savior. Remember this: Jesus lived, died, and was raised to help us defeat depression.
Oh, heavenly Father, Almighty God, Loving Lord, we thank you today for encouragement in dealing with our depression. It’s something we all deal with at one time or another. Lord, help us to recognize, to admit our depression when it comes. We are so thankful for the biblical affirmation that tears are natural and okay, and we need to let them flow. Help us to address the pain – give us wisdom in seeking the caring help of others. Lord we know that it’s okay to have our hard questions and to ask them – it’s comforting to know that many people of faith have had more questions than answers, but they continued to hold onto their faith. Lord we do affirm Your goodness, we remember Your faithfulness. Lord help us this day, to continue to anchor our hope and our trust in You. We find great comfort in our relationship with you through faith in Jesus. He is the One who loved us so much that he offered himself up for our sins and salvation. He lived, died, and was raised to help us defeat depression. Lord we pray in His mighty name – in Jesus’ name. And everybody said. Amen.