Despondency
“How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalms 13:1-2)
Today’s Morsel: If we are not careful, despondency can invade the church and get into our lives. As I have often mentioned, despondency causes you to feel hopeless, discouraged, rejected, and unhappy. It is one of Satan’s greatest weapons against you. He knows that if he can get you to this state, he will win if you do not run to Jesus for His help. David shows us that just because he was king, he was not exempt from things coming against him. Remember, from the time Israel was brought out of Egypt and the land of bondage, they have been at war with others. Israel represents the church, and Egypt and the other nations represent the world. Stop and think about that for a moment: David was king for forty years, and Scripture makes no mention of him having rest from war. It was not until Solomon, his son, assumed commanded that Israel had rest from war. But David, from the time he slew Goliath, was at war. This may be why Israel, even today, looks at David as one of their greatest leaders and kings. But David was a praying man who sought God for answers to what he was facing and going through. He prayed: “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalms 13:1-2). David sought relief. When you read scriptures like this, you can see that David is expressing a sense of deep emotion and distress. He wanted to know how long he would have to endure this while his enemy triumphed. Do you feel that your soul sometimes is taking counsel and your thoughts are running rampant? Listen to David again: “O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalms 42:6-11) Let me encourage you, don’t feel bad or feel as though you are a loser when you sometimes feel like David and need to seek God for uplifting and edification. This is warfare. And in warfare, sometimes even the best soldiers will cry.
Sing: As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship Thee. You alone are my strength, my shield; to You alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship Thee.
Thought for Today: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
No comments:
Post a Comment