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.

The Shepherd Provides Abundantly

As David’s song of the sheep concludes, he suddenly drops the analogy to consider his own experience of God, both as a simple man in need of a Savior and as a king in need of divine guidance. Verse 5 No sheep ever ate at a literal “table” prepared for it. Abruptly, we are transported from the green pastures, the valley, and the rugged mountainside to “a table” in the enemy’s presence.

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].

The Shepherd Restores

As a former shepherd keeping watch over flocks in the wilderness, the composer of Psalm 23 understood the nature of sheep, including their bad habit of wandering. When one is attracted to a clump of grass away from the flock, off it goes, and sometimes it’s followed by several other woolly wanderers. Soon, night falls. Lurking in the darkness are hungry wolves, four-legged savages, looking for a supper of mutton!

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.

Counselors of Shalom

A major cause of death in our world is heart trouble. I don’t mean heart attacks or heart failure; I mean that nearly everyone endures the daily grind of a troubled heart, which often presents as lingering anxiety and low-grade depression. More and more people are experiencing a relentless inner churning, characterized by discontentment, insecurity, instability, doubt, unrest, and uncertainty.

Secure in God

While salvation is entirely a work of God—an unconditional commitment on His part to preserve those He has saved (John 10:28–29; Romans 8:28–39; 2 Timothy 1:12)—He gives us a genuine stake in maintaining the quality of our spiritual lives. Those who lead lives of integrity receive something valuable for their faithfulness.

Going It Alone

Psalm 13 begins where the despondent person spends most of his or her time: flat on the ground, crushed under the weight of sorrow. In the first section of the song, we see . . . David on His Face. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day?

From Despondency to Ecstasy

David’s struggle with despondency grew very intense, perhaps prompting him to write the song we know today as Psalm 13. We can’t be certain of the issue plaguing the poet-king. We do know, however, that some of David’s darkest days came before he was officially promoted to the throne of Israel. God was preparing him for an immense task, and He used the trials to shape him into a man of maturity and inner strength.

God’s Shield against Discouragement

Sometimes we suffer discouragement because of difficult circumstances caused by no one in particular: natural disasters, disease, economic downturns, injury. Frequently, however, we suffer because enemies cause us harm and refuse to stop. That was David’s lament in Psalm 5. He knew discouragement can easily escalate into resentment, bitterness, hatred, and finally retaliation.

Category Archives: Encouragement & Healing