HOPE IN HIM

I was so blessed with Psalm 42
I was at a really low point, having a week that just seemed so hard and often when things get hard, the enemy likes to make you believe you’re alone in that hardship.
A verse from psalm 42 popped up as the verse of the day on my Bible app and from there I was so blessed and encouraged, I had to share

Psalm 42 reads :
A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I’m thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, “Will I ever make it— arrive and drink in God’s presence?” I’m on a diet of tears— tears for breakfast, tears for supper. All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, “Where is this God of yours?” These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life. I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front, Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship, Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving— celebrating, all of us, God’s feast! Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.
Psalm 42:1‭-‬5 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/psa.42.1-5.MSG

Ever experience a time of intense discouragement? It’s like one thing after another. You try to keep positive but then something else happens to knock the wind out your sails.
That’s how I felt
And this psalm jumped out at me
I found it so comforting because
a) It showed me that I’m not alone, throughout the Bible there have been those who also thought they had had enough, who experienced discouragement even depression to the point of giving up, so I immediately know I’m not being judged for feeling low, rather I’m being encouraged that hey, it’s ok. What you are feeling is part of being human. God gave us emotions so I don’t think he’s afraid or confused or shocked when we display them. Often many Christians advice is “snap out of it” perhaps not in so many words but we are told to “keep the faith” and to “stay positive” all which can sometimes be translated  as ” get over it”
This psalm tells me different. It tells me that even though the psalmist was always worshipping, praising and sometimes even leading worship, he now finds himself in this place of anguish. Bad things happen to good people . Don’t feel condemned by your circumstances. My pastor reminded me in conversation one day, we grow in the valley!
Crying day and night, feeling helpless and distraught. I don’t think we are ever exempt from the troubles of life, after all its how our faith is tried and purified. So today, if you going through a tough time, don’t second guess yourself or spend all your time trying to figure out why you. Know that in this life we will have struggles and that it’s OK to feel what you feeling. Just don’t wallow in those feelings to a point where they take over. God is not surprised or disappointed at your emotions. Work through them in prayer and with the Word.

b) people may not get where you’re at and that’s ok.
If it’s one thing that I’m not sure I’ll ever come to terms with its the fickleness of human beings. They cheer for you one day and reject you the next. What stood out for me was how the psalmist mentions being taunted by people who ask him where is his God. The moment you go through a difficult time, more often than not its a pruning. You will find you always lose some people. Those who were not really with you anyway. The ones who were waiting on the sidelines to see how long your success would last.
The psalmist first is further hurt or shamed by these taunts but eventually realizes that Jesus is the source of his joy
And if God be for you, who can be against you. I also learned early on from my Bishop that some people are in your life for a season. We don’t hold people hostages to share in our lives. God will align you with the right people at the right time you just need to depend on Him and not too much on people.

c) we are called to hope
While God understands our discouragement or our hard time, He is ever ready to deliver us out of the despair the devil would have us drown in.
It is up to YOU
Joy is a decision
Hope is always there. As believers we are filled with hope. It is never hopeless because Jesus Christ is our Hope. I love how the psalmist realizes that he has to “fix his eyes on  God” then God puts a smile on his face. How can you look at God and not be filled with hope?
He is our hope!
Once you are filled with hope, you realize that God is more than enough
Ephesians 1:18 says
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Jesus is the light and it is only when He fills our hearts that we begin to understand The CONFIDENT hope he has given
So this is not a wavering, shaky maybe
It’s a certainty
A guarantee
That God will never leave us nor forsake us and that He is able to meet all our needs, to soothe our fears and to put a smile on our faces.
Be Confident in Jesus and see your circumstances shift !

I heard someone share that you don’t know God’s a comforter until your mourn, you don’t know He is a healer until you get sick, you don’t know He’s a provider until you’re in need. Don’t despise the trials, they’re there for a reason sometimes! Just know that in everything and all circumstances God is for you, He is with you and He has designed a way of escape for you.