Speak To Yourself!

“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?”
Psalm 42:2

In his distress, the heart of the psalmist longs to know the touch of God once again. When encountering the hardships of life, he instinctively knows that only God can be his refuge. He longs to hear from God, to be touched by him. Sometimes God seems far off when we’re in the midst of deep trials, and in these times we yearn, oh how we yearn, for his touch once again. Nothing else and no one else can truly reach our hearts in hard times, and we yearn for the only One who can.

The psalmist speaks to himself and counsels his own soul to endure and to wait on the Lord knowing full well that God WILL move on his behalf and the time will come when he will praise him yet again for bringing him through.

vs: 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
for the help of his countenance.”

Then the psalmist reminds himself of the times in the past when God moved mightily on his behalf, naming the specific times and places where he experienced the victorious power of God. This is a practice that can change everything for you. Think back on the times when God moved mightily in your life, changing things, showing his love and care for you.

vs 6:
“O my God, my soul is cast down within me,
THEREFORE I WILL REMEMBER you from the land of the Jordan,
and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar.”

The Jordan, Mount Hermon, the hill at Mizar - these were the places where David experienced God in a mighty way in his life, and by meditating on those stories he strengthened himself to hang on, knowing God has this too.

When in deep trial, think back upon the times when the Lord has mightily touched you and brought you through. It’s good to keep a journal so that in times of heartache one can go back and remind himself of the great things the Lord has done in his life. Meditate on each occurrence and how God brought the victory, and that will strongly encourage you to endure, knowing that the same God who brought you through before, will bring you through again. It will strengthen you to keep your hope and your trust in him when all looks dark.

Speak to yourself! Counsel yourself, remind yourself, encourage yourself - that you SHALL yet again see the touch of God that will carry you through.

vs 11:
“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.”

And then - wait for him. Blessed is the man who has learned the secret of waiting patiently on the Lord, because:

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Psalm 34:19