Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11
When we navigate storms in life life we have a choice to make. Sink or fight. Sink into self-pity, sadness or turmoil or fight to hope in God.
The author of Psalm 42 is surrounded by jeering enemies who taunt him saying, “Where is your God?” He says his tears have been his food day and night. He’s discouraged, depressed, hopeless, sighing. He keeps breaking down sobbing. He’s in turmoil. Anxious. His chest is tight. He can’t breathe right. His mind is whirling.
What does the Psalmist do? It’s like he suddenly realizes what’s happening, snaps out of his funk, grabs his soul by the scruff of the neck and interrogates himself. He says wait a minute – why are you cast down? Why are you in turmoil? You’re forgetting something – you’re forgetting to bring God into the equation. You’re acting like there’s no God. Hope in God! I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Sometimes we don’t even notice we’re beginning to sink.
We can spiral into sadness when one of our children rebels. We can sink into the “slough of despond” when our spouse is chronically sick, or things are perpetually stressful at work or month after month we can barely make ends meet. One day we wake up and we feel like we’re in quicksand up to our neck and someone’s put a plastic bag over our head.*
As soon as we catch ourselves beginning to spiral downward we have to stop and ask ourselves: Wait a minute – what’s going on here?
Why are you cast down O my soul? Why are you anxious? Here’s why – because you’ve taken your eyes off God. You’ve quit hoping in God. You’ve taken God out of the equation. When we quit hoping in God and believing we shall yet praise him, there’s nowhere else to go but down.
“I shall again praise him” is a statement of faith. We are saying we believe God will come through for us down the road. That in the future Jesus will give us something to praise him about. That God will cause whatever we’re going through to work for good.
So what’s it going to be for you – sink or fight?
Command yourself to hope in God. Get your eyes off the wind and the waves and onto the one who is your salvation and your God. Tell yourself you will again praise God – that the story isn’t over yet. Even better, begin to praise him right now.
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*I’m not talking about clinical depression here. I’m talking about the kind of downcast state that results from continued unbelief.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
My soul is indeed cast down. My heart and my flesh is failing me. And the guilt of my sins are drowning me and tearing me apart. My heart, my mind and my conscience is dull, weary, and hardened. I am depressed and hopeless. I can remember the time when I had such a hunger for God's Word–it was like a flame lit up in the chambers of my heart but now the flame is out. It seems to be out. There are times in which there is a glimmer of light in my heart. I've allowed bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, pornography, lust, pride, and unbelief in my heart. I did not guard it as The Book of Proverbs said. I fear that it's all over for me. I don't seem to have that desire to get into God's Word and read it. I've allowed slothfulness and procrastination in. I fear that I am not truly saved and that I may be reprobate. But if I am saved, where is God? Everytime I come and confess my sins and my dull heart to Him it's like He's not there. I keep coming to the throne confessing but it's like my words and my prayer is inadequate. It's like God is saying to me He'll forgive me when my words are adequate enough.
The Gospel is dull to me and I'm so full of unbelief. I'm not looking clearly at the cross and seeing my sins on it. And whenever I feel down and depressed I turn to pornography and other sexual sins to mask the pain but all it does is cause my pain and it makes me turn inwardly and I feel more depressed and I isolate myself from everyone, including my family. This morning at 5:00 I went to the Lord and confessed my sin to Him but those same thoughts of Him not answering me made me depressed even more. I feel like quitting. I'm so close to throwing in the towel. Like I said I don't know if I'm truly saved and I don't know if my time of grace is up. I can't deal with this anymore. I'm so alone and I don't have any Christians close to me to encourage me, I don't have any face-to-face contact with a Christian. I know that I'm facing some judgement for my rebellion and my heart can't take it anymore.
Hey Brian I have a couple thoughts for you. first of all, I feel very sad for you that you are going through this. but I want to encourage you that I don't believe you would be concerned about this so much if you were not born again. Are you part of the church and do you have a pastor you can talk to? that would be my first suggestion – find a good church and pastor that can counsel you and pray for you. Also if you could find a church that has fellowship with other Christians available so that others can get involved in your life, to pray for you and counsel you and encourage you. I would also suggest that you read John Pipers book, I believe the title is When I don't desire God – how to fight for Joy. I would also encourage you, even know you feel no desire at all for God or his word, to read his word and pray and ask him to speak to you and fellowship with you. and I would also encourage you to thank God for as much as you possibly can thank him for – even though you don't feel like it just begin to do it. Also, keep asking God to fill you with his Holy Spirit and ask the Holy Spirit to give you desires for God and the power to put sin to death. Then as much as you are able, begin to sow to the Spirit – serve others, do whatever you can to encourage someone else, etc. Sometimes, the more we think about our sin and try to fight it directly the worse it gets – it's almost better to confess our sins then turn to something positive – praising God, serving others, et cetera.
I would be happy to talk with you sometime as well. Just email me your phone number and a good time to talk.
Hi Mark, what is your e-mail address?
Mvaltrogge@gmail.com
Actually it's mvaltrogge@gmail.com
Mark, you said: "But I want to encourage you that I don't believe you would be concerned about this so much if you were not born again." But if I'm truly born again why am I continually giving into pornography and sexual sins time and time again? I give into it then I'm concerned and then I give in again.
I probably would want to talk to you more about this and hear more from you about it. but typically someone who is not born again is not concerned that they keep sinning.
Brian, I can relate to what you are going through and agree with Mark's counsel. "When I Don't Desire God" is available to read as an ebook @ http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/books… it is extremely helpful and available so you can read immediately. I would also recommend a book by Edward Welch titled "Depression, A Stubborn Darkness" you will find it describes your feelings and actions completely. Often I have to ask the Spirit to pray for me because I dont know what to pray. I pray that on the other side of this you will be able to use this experience for God's glory.
Thanks for adding these suggestions….
Brian, I to can relate where your coming from and I think we all do at times. Here is a paragraph of a book I am reading called the Bookends of life I am reading that has been most helpfull to me. " So we agree with Paul. None is righteouss, not even one. We know we need a Savior, so we trust in Christ to redeem us from the curse of God's law. But though we believe we're saved as far as our day-to-day standing with God. Many of us embrace a vague but very real notion that God's approval has to be earned by our conduct. We know we are saved by grace, but believe God blesses us according to our level of personal obedience. Consequently,our confidedence that we abide in God's favor ebbs and flows according to how we gauge our performance. and since we each sin every single day, this approach is ultimately discouraging and even devastating." This is why we need to have a proper understanding of Chris's righteousness.
Thanks Scott! Great quote.
Brian,2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.. When God look's at us he see's Jesus perfect life given to us as a trade for our sin. You talked about porn and other sexual sin's. They really look yuky compared to anger or judgemental attittudes and we tend to say to ourselves how can God stand me. And we tend to run and hide from God. the enemy would have us do this,but instead we need to run to Him. And conffess our sin and take Him at his word. Please take all of Mark's advice, talk to him pease.