When You Don’t Feel Like It

By -

We all struggle with spiritual discouragement and lethargy. Some days our circumstances threaten to overwhelm us, and we struggle just to pray. Many times we just don’t feel like doing the things we know we should. For one reason or another, God sometimes seems far off and unreachable. David faced times like these in his life. The Psalms are filled with verses that express his despair and feeling of abandonment. Yet the Psalms also give us the key to living victoriously during the dark periods of life. Let’s take a quick look at Psalm 119:89-95*.

“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances…”

My circumstances or feelings have not changed God. He is the same God today as He was when He hung the stars in the sky, led the Israelites through the Red Sea , and fed the five thousand. “For all things are Your servants…” All things, even the things affecting me right now, are God’s servants. The circumstance, people, and events around me are all under God. They are His servants, designed to help and bless me spiritually. “If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me. I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies.” Recalling God’s faithfulness and control over everything that touches us gives us strength to walk with God even when we feel like giving up in despair. After all, our feelings and circumstances have not changed God. He is perfectly capable of sustaining us if we will only let Him. We simply need to choose to delight in and diligently consider God’s precepts (His principles and character) despite how we feel. Choosing to delight in God might not be easy. It might even involve hard work. But only God can revive and save our soul from spiritual lethargy. Next time you feel spiritually drained or inadequate, remember that you have a choice. You can wrap yourself up in excuses and self-pity, or you can choose to draw your strength from an unchanging God. Taken from— https://www.christianperspective.net/articles/devotionalthoughts

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.” - Esther 4:14

By -
The story of Esther is a famous one that has been recounted everywhere from Sunday school classes to the Hollywood big screen over and over again.  The sort-of Reader’s Digest version is that an orphan girl from no means finds favor with the King and ultimately saves her people from mass genocide.  But there is more to Esther’s than just that, right?  I mean there are only two books of the bible that are named after women:  Ruth and Esther.  So we have to ask ourselves what it must be that makes these women so worthy.   Ruth’s story can be summed up in a sentence  as well:  A woman’s husband dies, she follows her elderly mother in law to a foreign land where she finds favor with a wealthy land owner and ultimately becomes something like the 28-times great grandmother of Jesus.  The obvious commonalities in these two women’s stories are that they are both displaced from their homes, they both find favor with wealthy, powerful men- but risk ...
Read more

New Beginnings Make New Endings

By -
Image
I recently saw this quote, "No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending" (Unknown). I really began to think about that statement. The conclusion was that we don't start over; but we begin again right where we are, making things better in our lives. As a believer in Christ, it is not about saying I will do this and I won't do that and then dropping the idea or falling short. It is more about asking the Lord to help us each day, to fall deeper and deeper in love with Him. This way our focus will be set on the things of heaven and not on all this earthly stuff. If I were to make a New Year resolution, it would be to have a deeper commitment, a deeper love, and a deeper worship for the Lord. In the beginning of this past year, He spoke to me in that still small voice in prayer and said, "I am more than enough. I am more than enough in every area of your life." He also said to tell others the same thing. ...
Read more

Oh the Places You'll Go!

By -
Image
Have you ever read the book “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by the incredible Dr. Seuss? If not, stop reading this and go get a copy of this amazing piece of literature. If you have, then I’m sure you remember the great encouragement given throughout. For example... “Today is your day! You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” “Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.” “And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)” “Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.” But, the real life advice comes in the pages between the above quotes, where we are reminded that sometimes we “won’t”... (see what I did there?!? Yes, I love me so Suess talk… anyway…) In John 16:33, Jesus tells us “In this world you will have trouble.” Not that we might or its possible, but that we will. Dr. Seuss refers to these troubles as silly rhymes, but the truth of life is still there. “I’m sorry ...
Read more