Encouraging Words 1

Ps. 42:5 "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help (salvation) of my countenance and my God" (v.5).

The Psalmist here is depressed and troubled.

And apparently, so are a lot of Americans...

Just this week I read a story entitled, "Americans More Depressed Now Than Decades Ago."

Another article was titled, "Why Are Americans So Unhappy?"

With the endless news of growing terrorism, world chaos, fear of the future, an anemic job market, and the loss of the Judeo/Christian ethic that used to underpin our society, many Americans are just down.

David Kupelian wrote a book entitled, The Snapping of the American Mind, and in it he says,

"Thus it has come to pass that America, long the hope of the world, has grown increasingly dispirited and angry, which in turn breeds anxiety, fear, confusion, hopelessness and depression."

It's becoming harder and harder in America to experience inner peace and security.

______________________

But King David had some very troubling, stressful seasons in his own life......Which is why three times in two chapters--Ps. 42 and 43--we find an exact repeat of a conversation he had with himself.

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you disquieted within me?"

David wrote this particular Psalm when his own son, Absalom, had committed mutiny and was attempting to overthrow him and steal the kingdom.

Overnight, David's position as king came under severe attack.

The conspiracy against him was strong.

The beautiful and charismatic Absalom had stolen the hearts of the people.

A messenger ran to David with the chilling news flash, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom" (2 Sam. 15:13).

Many of David's most trusted advisors and confidants had defected and sided with his rebel son.

Unbelievably, the killer of Goliath and hero of Israel suddenly found himself on the run from his own flesh and blood!

He quickly fled to the forests for protection, with a handful of still faithful men with him.

Absalom didn't want to just capture his father, he wanted to kill him.

King David's future was so uncertain at this point that he uttered these words...

"I go I know not where...if I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it (the kingdom) and His dwelling place, But if He says, 'I have no delight in you,' here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him" (2 Sam. 15:20, 25-26).

At this lowest of low points David had lost his kingdom, his home, his friends, and his son, and this is when he penned the words,

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you agitated within me?"

____________________

The psalmist felt the weight of his trials.

Like Job of old, his troubles seemed relentless, falling like ominous dominoes.

Great sadness flooded his soul.

Wave after wave of grief swept over him.

In verse 7 he refers to the waves of affliction as "Your waves. . ."Your breakers". . ."your waterfalls."

He felt like one wave was calling and inviting another to beat upon him.

But David also understood that nothing could touch his life without divine permission and all that touched his life would be kept under a divine check and achieve divine purposes.

I believe it was this understanding that kept him together!

He told himself, "God's in charge, I trust Him in the storm!"

___________________

When we realize what was taking place with David, we can't blame him for being "cast down" and "disquieted," deeply troubled and agitated.

Any of us would have felt exactly the same way!

Though most people are going through some level of trial, few of us could claim this level of trouble!

____________________

So how did David deal with it?

How did he come out of this fiery oven alive and in one piece?

How did he find encouragement in totally discouraging circumstances?

How did he keep the victory within?

I see three things he did that kept his head above water....

_____________________

First,

I. He asked himself a question...

Before the psalmist talked to God about his depressed soul, he talked to his depressed soul about God, and he began with a question...

"Why are you cast down?

It's almost as if he's surprised in himself....

He's asking, "What are you doing in this state of mind? Why so down? You know God's going to come through for you!"

____________________

I'm so glad David is truthful about his struggles in the Psalms...

I love the Psalms in discouraging times, because they're real.

They don't present flawless heroes that never have a bad day...

They present flawed, normal people experiencing trials just like us and finding their way through them in God!

They record countless instances of David, Asaph, the Sons of Korah, Moses, Solomon and others getting hold of themselves by getting hold of God!

So.....the first lesson we learn here is that David steadied himself in the Lord before doing anything else...

___________________

Listen: In a trial, the first person to focus on is you---getting your faith right, finding your peace, fixing your focus on Jesus, and not on the wind and waves!

Because upset, panicked people will keep on making big mistakes...

As one person put it, "Peace-fulize" yourself before making a major decision in a trial.

Think about it: David was running for his life....his own son is trying to kill him...half his kingdom has turned against him...yet he focused first on himself....

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you so agitated? Why are you allowing these circumstances to upset you like this?"

_________________

A second lesson I get from this is.....when trials come, TAKE A CHILL PILL, and I don't mean head for the pharmacy or the nearest liquor store...

I mean turn to the Lord and His Word, and you might start with the PSALMS...

The Psalms are like a great big divine bottle of 150 heavenly antidepressants!

For instance, here's a great supernatural antidepressant from the Psalms...

David wrote, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

The Amplified says, "Let go, relax, knowing that I am God."

The Pastor Jeff version says, "Get still, chill, and take a Psalm pill!

The Psalms "peace-fulize" us with promises like, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (30:5).

Or, "Cast your burdens onto the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall" (Ps. 55:22).

And one that I've branded on my own memory is...

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the deep mud, and set my feet on a hard, firm path, and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God..." (40:1-3)

Maybe today you need to stop fretting, get alone with God and have a talk with YOU.

Ask yourself, "Why are you so cast down....God's got this, God's got me, and it can only work out for my good!"

____________________

So first, He questioned himself, then next,

II. He commanded himself....

He said to his soul, "Hope thou in God!"

This means, "Wait on the Lord, He's going to move on your behalf. Give it time!"

But if you're like me, you want an IMMEDIATE response from God because you don't like waiting....

I'm a very patient man until I have to wait.

My problem has so often been, I'm in a hurry and God isn't!

But I've learned that sometimes God parks us on purpose...

He puts our lives on hold so that we can learn to encourage ourselves by quietly hoping in Him...

Chuck Swindoll wrote, "True patience is waiting on God without worrying."

Learning to encourage yourself while waiting on God is a major key to spiritual growth.

____________________

David got really good at this!

When in another great trial we're told that:

"David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him....But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

This was David's lifelong way:

Ps. 38:15 "LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God."

Ps. 39:7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."

Ps. 27:13-14 "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

David is reminding himself that God would intervene in one way or the other...he would not be left alone.

He would praise God again in days to come for his deliverance.

"For I will YET praise Him for His help!"

The middle of a trial is like the middle of a book, the Author hasn't finished the story! Give Him time...

______________________

So, David questioned himself, he commanded himself, and then thirdly...

III. He reminded himself of past blessings...

Just one verse before verse 5 we find David encouraging himself by calling up the memories of God's past goodness...

42:4 "Take courage, my soul! Do you remember those times (but how could you ever forget them!) when you led a great procession to the Temple on festival days, singing with joy, praising the Lord?"

He's saying, "Remember all those great times you had in church?"

Remember the great blessings of God that He poured out on you, the victories He gave you, the healing He showed you?

Remember the fellowship, the joy, the defining "God moments" that made life-long memories?.....

The Bible says, "Forget not all His benefits!"

___________________

The message here is.....

Remind yourself of what God has done in times of trial, because the same God that blessed you then, healed you then, delivered you then, broke through for you then...is with you now!

THIS is why David then wrote:

"Why then be downcast? Why be discouraged and sad? Hope in God! I shall yet praise him again. Yes, I shall again praise him for his help."

I close with this: "To change your outlook, remember who's looking out for you."

So in order to stay encouraged in trying times, Question yourself if doubting Him, command yourself to hope in Him, and remind yourself of all He's done!