“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” Psalm 42:5
Too old, too young, too tall, too short, too fat, too skinny, too fast, too slow, to up, to down, too in, too out…and the excuses go on and on. All of us have been given an ability to hope, to desire, to dream and to reach for something beyond the limits of our present circumstances or of the resources to do what we desire to do. It’s easy in moments of weariness, or sorrow, or times of anxiety, disappointment, or fear, to resign ourselves to the perceived limits we face. But those limits are not limits for God.
Where life is concerned, in all its dimensions, we are more than conquerors, more than abundantly supplied, more equipped for whatever challenges we may face, because we are not dependent on our human resources alone. God is with us, and because He is with us, we know that we can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us.
We walk, we stumble, we may even fall, but when we do, we only need to get up and get back in the race, get on with life. Jesus has come and has brought to us life and that more abundantly! There is no need to sauté in past failures or marinate in self-pity. We are NOT defined by our failures or mistakes. Our short comings are NOT disqualifiers for the mercies, grace and blessings of God our Father. He has told us. “Fear not little flock for it is Your Father’s good pleasure to give you,” not sell you, not barter with you, not negotiate to you, not require you to earn, but “to give you His Kingdom.”
There was a song on the old TV show, Hee Haw! that went something like this:
Gloom despair and agony on me,
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery;
If it weren’t for bad luck,
I’d have no luck at all.
Gloom despair and agony on me!
That is NOT the posture of one who is embracing by faith all that God is giving us in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Here’s God’s answer to our needs at all times and in all circumstances. Worship Him!!!
What did the Psalmist say,
“Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.”
When we worship, our eyes are opened to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). In that glory is the supernatural presence of God. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. Paul and Silas worshipped God when they were in prison in Rome, bound in chains. but when they began to sing their chains were loosed.
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Acts 16:25-26
If you’re down today or you’ve been wrestling in your heart and mind agonizing over anything; if you feel like you just can’t get going or get over your grief or your sorrow, whatever is holding you captive, then, know that none of that is from God. All of it is from the devil and he has no claim on you as a child of the Living God, redeemed by the blood of Christ.
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:6-9
Humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God is acknowledging that we can’t fix anyone, including ourselves, our children, our loved ones, our friends, our enemies, or anything. But God can! So, we let it go! All of it!!
Is anything weighing heavily on your heart today? Are you overwhelmed by your present circumstance or need? Do you feel bound in the grip of fear or despair?
Here’s an old song with a fresh message for today.
“Then, turn your eyes up Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Helen H. Lemmel, 1922
Here is the promise from God through the prophet Isaiah.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. Isaiah 26:3-4
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Take a moment now to read and meditate on Psalms 97, 98, 103, 108 and 116.
You are blessed and you have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!