Is Your Life Feeling Upside Down?
I recently received the lovely mug pictured here.
…. and I just happened to have been reading through the book of Psalms in my personal devotion time with The LORD where this same verse although short, shows such great perspective about “where to go and what to do” when life adjustments or expectations seem upside down.
“So now, LORD, what do I look for? My hope is in you,” Psalm 39:7.
David was a man that knew a thing or two about hardship and adjustments!
I believe he gives us a clue to authentic crying out to God for help both personally and when we meet with others in this verse.
David is struggling under what he believes to be God’s punishment. Are you struggling through a difficult situation?
Right here, the Psalmist speaks of the number of his days on earth and about how fleeting life is.
At the beginning of the psalm it looks like that David is surrounded by wicked people. To protect God’s name and glory, David is determined to not open his mouth in front of them.
He probably fears that they will take any negative comments by David as reflecting on the glory and goodness of God. But this silence only increases his frustration! Pent up frustration!!
“I was mute and silent; I held my peace but it didn’t help! My distress grew worse,” Psalm 39:2.
Have you ever been so upset at your condition in life that you burned hot and painful inside, needing to express your frustration to God?
When we are overburdened, the world might look dark even when the sun is shining. The flowers may be blooming beautifully and songbirds might be chirping happily, but all we hear are the sorrowful cries of our own heart.
The burdens seem so overwhelming that we may even distance ourselves from others, but… that only encourages us to dwell even more on our problems and leads us further into despair.
When we open the book of Psalms, the words step right into our hard circumstances, inviting us to draw up a chair near his footstool and find rest in The LORD. How loving of Him to give us this amazing book of comfort.
In this Psalm 39, David is weighed down with some heavy burdens. He asks, “How long?”
Have you ever felt like that?
He describes his troubles and pleads for an answer, but by the end of the psalm, his outlook has changed, when he remembers that God is trustworthy.
If you feel as if you’re bearing the weight of the world on your shoulders, stop and look up to your heavenly Father.
Can you Remember a time in the past when God carried you through hard circumstances, and can you rejoice in His faithfulness?
He didn’t fail you then, and He will not fail you now.
I think what David is trying to teach us is that the best worship takes place at the feet of Jesus. So much of our worship demands that people jump to their feet, but as I read this Scripture verse, it seems that authentic worship is more fruitful and humble when we are on our face at God’s feet.
Owning up to our fears, our failings, and admitting that we need His convicting work and help in our wavering hearts! This is the place of worship.
May The LORD help us find the pleasure of bowing low in His Presence, as he is elevated and exalted, and in that place of adoration and humility, life’s ever changing challenges are addressed in the light of God’s truth and directions.
He is forever calling out to us to take the risk of stepping out of fear and out into HOPE!
In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ©
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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.
Awesome.