Hope in God
“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 of my countenance and my God.” Psalms 43:5
The heart is a God-given source of power, guidance and strength in every season of life. We both listen to our hearts and speak to our hearts. It is a life long pursuit to know when to listen and when to speak. "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out." (Prov 20:5, Prov 25:2, Eccl 7:25). We have the ability in our heart to perceive from the Lord wisdom and guidance that goes beyond the logical, emotional and sensory capabilities of our mind. We must learn to be quiet and reflect in order to listen to our heart. This sounds easy but it takes continual diligence to quiet ourselves each day and patiently practice habits of reflection in order to draw out wisdom and insight. Clarity most often comes in small pieces like a puzzle fitting together.
It is helpful to ask ourselves reflective questions like "What am I sensing right now?" or What am I experiencing here?" I find prayer and writing both help facilitate this internal conversation. But there are times when we must stop listening to our heart and begin speaking. The dividing line is found in the phrase "cast down" (shachat meaning despair, dejected) and the word disquieted (mehumah meaning turmoil agitation). The Psalmist is asking a rhetorical not a reflective question. Our heart runs on hope and it is no use trying to move forward when it's out of gas. It's time to speak to our heart the promises of God, to force feed ourselves on hope if necessary, ("hope in God for I will yet praise Him") until we are filled and functioning again. The phrase "help (aid, support, or come to the assistance of another) of my countenance (literally means face which the Bible often uses symbolically as a window to the heart) is the diagnostic clue. God asked Cain "Why has your face fallen?" (Gen 4:6) because he was dejected and without hope. Cain was in a dangerous place. He needed an epipen of hope stat. Sadly, Cain didn't act quickly and destruction soon followed.
When we are struggling with discouragement and dejection is not time for diagnostics as to how or why we got here, it's time to practice the habits that build hope: Speak out loud the promises of God, sing hope filled songs, recall your amazing salvation and the many personal deliverances from the past. Feed on the faithfulness of God (Ps 37:3). May the Lord strengthen our hearts today as we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13).
The heart is a God-given source of power, guidance and strength in every season of life. We both listen to our hearts and speak to our hearts. It is a life long pursuit to know when to listen and when to speak. "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out." (Prov 20:5, Prov 25:2, Eccl 7:25). We have the ability in our heart to perceive from the Lord wisdom and guidance that goes beyond the logical, emotional and sensory capabilities of our mind. We must learn to be quiet and reflect in order to listen to our heart. This sounds easy but it takes continual diligence to quiet ourselves each day and patiently practice habits of reflection in order to draw out wisdom and insight. Clarity most often comes in small pieces like a puzzle fitting together.
It is helpful to ask ourselves reflective questions like "What am I sensing right now?" or What am I experiencing here?" I find prayer and writing both help facilitate this internal conversation. But there are times when we must stop listening to our heart and begin speaking. The dividing line is found in the phrase "cast down" (shachat meaning despair, dejected) and the word disquieted (mehumah meaning turmoil agitation). The Psalmist is asking a rhetorical not a reflective question. Our heart runs on hope and it is no use trying to move forward when it's out of gas. It's time to speak to our heart the promises of God, to force feed ourselves on hope if necessary, ("hope in God for I will yet praise Him") until we are filled and functioning again. The phrase "help (aid, support, or come to the assistance of another) of my countenance (literally means face which the Bible often uses symbolically as a window to the heart) is the diagnostic clue. God asked Cain "Why has your face fallen?" (Gen 4:6) because he was dejected and without hope. Cain was in a dangerous place. He needed an epipen of hope stat. Sadly, Cain didn't act quickly and destruction soon followed.
When we are struggling with discouragement and dejection is not time for diagnostics as to how or why we got here, it's time to practice the habits that build hope: Speak out loud the promises of God, sing hope filled songs, recall your amazing salvation and the many personal deliverances from the past. Feed on the faithfulness of God (Ps 37:3). May the Lord strengthen our hearts today as we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13).