Turning to God

The composer of Psalm 137 acknowledged the sorrow of his situation, recognizing that Judah had brought this chastisement upon themselves. But he didn’t stay in the doldrums. He turned from the past to focus on God’s unchangeable character, His faithfulness to fulfill promises, His desire to extend mercy with every opportunity. Finally, he turned his eyes to the horizon to anticipate the future.

God’s Word the Cure

As I glance over Psalm 119:98–100, I see three benefits gained by those who absorb the Word: wisdom, insight, and understanding. Wisdom is the ability to look at life and its difficulties from God’s point of view. As I learn more of the Word of God and begin to get a grasp of its practical principles, I also gain the ability to look at life from a heavenly, eternal viewpoint.

Hope for the Hopeless

I am not foolish enough to suggest that within a week’s time anyone could be free of an addiction or compulsion. While a few people tell of overnight transformations, these are the exception, not the norm. Still, let me assure you that, within just a week, you can be moving in a new, healthy direction. No addiction—I repeat: no addiction—is stronger than the Almighty.

Adversity versus Prosperity

Whether or not you realize it, life is a perpetual struggle to maintain balance between various opposing forces. Over the next few days, we will examine some common extremes that threaten to pull us off balance. The first is the tug-of-war between adversity and prosperity. When reflecting on the effects of adversity, the sages of Israel wrote, If you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited. (24:10)

Find Solace in Nature

David’s songs of inner turmoil don’t offer easy answers; he’s too realistic for that. David had seen the lowest of lows several times in his life, so he knew that counting your blessings won’t work every time. Sometimes, we get so low that no memory will jar us loose from our turmoil. In Psalm 42:6–8, David offers another technique.

Remember God’s Faithfulness

David’s battle with turmoil, recounted in Psalms 42 and 43, results in longing for God’s presence. My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (42:3) God certainly has not forsaken His child, but at low moments all of us could testify that there are times when it feels like He has! What do we do to become reassured?

Waiting with Patience

As David concludes his song about the grinding pain of unjust treatment and his chosen responses, he then commits to patience. Resolved: I will patiently stand and wait for relief. Do not take my soul away along with sinners, Nor my life with men of bloodshed, In whose hands is a wicked scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

Choosing to Bless

It isn’t known how many people walk around with undiagnosed heart problems, but the frequency of sudden deaths from heart attack suggests millions. It’s difficult to treat a problem—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that you don’t know exists. Perhaps you wonder how you can detect spiritual heart troubles. Proverbs 20:11–12 suggests a reasonable approach: It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself, If his conduct is pure and right. The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD has made both of them.

Three Hearts

Although the daily grind of a troubled heart is common, we often think we’re the only one struggling with discouragement, anxiety, doubt, and disappointment. Not so! It’s all around us. As I described earlier, a troubled heart beats within every chest, and the kinds of trouble are numerous. I find no less than six specified in Solomon’s writings. We’ll discuss three today and three [Monday].

Deep Waters

Whoever dubbed our era “The Aspirin Age” wasn’t far off. We live in a time when huge numbers of the world’s population use medications to relieve heartache, much of which is stress related. According to a 2011 article, prescriptions for the treatment of depression increased by 30 percent between 1996 and 2007 among patients with no psychiatric diagnosis.

Category Archives: Encouragement & Healing