God hears

Just yesterday, I wrote that I didn't know how to overcome the dark times that overtake me so easily. I asked God as I asked all of you, and though I didn't get many responses from my readers, God heard and replied.

In church, the preacher discussed how to get out of the "slough of despond." This was a reference to Paul Bunyan's book, Pilgrim's Progress. The amazing thing is that the preacher answered my question. He made a point to say that we need to be careful what we tell ourselves. He said that we have the greatest influence on ourselves, because we talk to ourselves the most.

We were studying the life of David. David was at a point in his life in which he was despairing. He said to himself that surely he would die by Saul's hand, and he fled to the Philistines to escape death. The preacher pointed out that this is referred to as a "God-less text," because God's counsel is not sought nor His faithfulness considered. David looks only at the circumstances and makes decisions accordingly.

The preacher said that we need to be careful what we tell ourselves, lest we deceive ourselves. We must look to God for the counsel we need. As we find counsel from God, we will also receive encouragement. The only way to recover from "the pits" is to turn to God and rely on Him to provide the needs of one's life.

As I considered these truths, it occurred to me that when I begin to feel down, I pull away from God, and wallow in the grief. I begin to think about how hopeless my situation is, and the great difficulties that currently fill my life. Rather than being consumed with fear, worry, and agony, I should turn my eyes to God. I should take my fill of His workmanship, recall His faithfulness, and bask in His love. He has not forsaken me yet, and I can see His providence clearly in my life up till now. I know I can trust His promises that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I know that He has a plan for my life, and a way to turn all this bad into something good.

The next time I start to wallow, I pray that God would reveal Himself to me, and that I would meditate on that which is true, honest, of good report, and full of mercy and praise. I pray that God will give me the strength and wisdom to bring every thought into captivity. As I lift my eyes to God, surely I will be relieved of the emotional torture that has plagued me so intensely.

For all those of you who read my last post and prayed that God would reveal Himself to me, I thank you. God truly is faithful. I'm glad He's on my side!