“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!”
If our soul rests on itself, it will sink. If it clings to the power and promises of God, the head can stay above the waves. And He is our support in the present woes, we can seek comfort in Him.
We all have good reasons to be discouraged and to have a sad heart at times in our lives. Right now, as I write this, we are at the beginning of this terrible invasion and war in Ukraine. God knows our situations and he will never condemn us for having emotions. God is a God who is near and with us, who rejoices when we rejoice and who weeps with us when we cry.
The good news is that when things are difficult, you can find Hope in any situation. And that hope is in God alone, our Saviour. If you keep looking at your problems and challenges and allow your soul to be overwhelmed by negative circumstances, then you will sink. Sometimes we might want to get rid of this idea that meditation and the cultivation of a sad soul might help us. Sometimes we might even think that there is some pleasure in lamenting our fate. But the key is not to let yourself get down to mourning.
When you are in a state of sadness and discouragement, it is time to turn your eyes and your faith to the light and hope that are in God alone. Instead of giving up and “whining”, even in dramatic situations such as bereavement or war, as we are experiencing as I write this, the way to deliverance and salvation is to believe the promises of God. There is hope in God and he will never abandon you. Even in the midst of a battle, a furnace, the valley of darkness and death, He is with us. So praise Him again!
When your soul can’t sing and praise God, it’s time to stop listening to your emotions and make a healthy, radical decision. Decide to look away from your sadness. And when you raise your voice to your God, start praising him for all that he is and all that he has done for you so far. And when you lift up his name, it is like an oil of well-being that will begin to fill your soul. Even an oil of joy in the midst of your struggles will touch your innermost being and begin to make you see a glimmer of hope. And that little light will grow as you continue to praise Him to see the way forward for healing, deliverance and then a joyful life of victory.
Today is your day of Hope, as you begin to praise God in spite of your saddened heart. Great things are ahead of you as you allow His Hope to be the focus that will attract comfort and His blessings for a joyful life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you know my hurting and saddened heart. You know the reasons and I want to give everything. I lay down my burden, my incomprehension at the foot of your cross. Despite my feelings, I decide to worship you. I want to give you all the praise and all the glory, knowing that there is comfort and hope in you alone.
Quote: When you are in a state of sadness and discouragement, it is time to turn your eyes and your faith to the light and hope that are in God alone.
