In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis spends time having the senior demon explain the undulations of the Christian life to the junior demon. In the book, demons are supposed to exploit those times when Christians are feeling tired and low, and make them think that things will never get better. If they did just hang on to faith and wait then things would start to look up again.
David had many times when he was low in spirit -- feeling oppressed or discouraged. Psalm 42 is a prayer he wrote in such a time.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Verse 11 lets us know what to do: put our hope in God. And wait. Have faith that He is still there, working for our good even if we don't feel it.
Have a blessed day!
This post is part of Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. This challenge involves posting a blog that edifies the Church each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.
I am also participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #18 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.
David had many times when he was low in spirit -- feeling oppressed or discouraged. Psalm 42 is a prayer he wrote in such a time.
Psalm 42[a][b]
For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
Verse 11 lets us know what to do: put our hope in God. And wait. Have faith that He is still there, working for our good even if we don't feel it.
Have a blessed day!
This post is part of Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. This challenge involves posting a blog that edifies the Church each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.
I am also participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #18 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.
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