Psalms 42:11 AMP
[11] Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.
Depending on which version of the bible you use, at the top of the chapter from where the verse above is taken are written the words: 'Thirsting for God in trouble and exile'. This reflects seasons of pain and distress, as seen in some of the words used in the psalm here. The writers were called the sons of Korah, and these were a Levitical guild of temple musicians and gatekeepers. They knew the standards of worship in the temple, and did their best to maintain and uphold those standards, even in the face of apostasy from both the leaders and the people. As one who has had an encounter with Jesus, do men see His imprint in and on me?
These men must have seen a lot of evil in their own days. With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, they led the people to the house of God, singing and dancing in festival, yet it appeared that their hearts were weighed down with some things. You read words like 'My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?'. Even though these men looked happy, their hearts were heavy. We do not have all the details, but it was clear that their souls were in despair. What are my current circumstances causing my heart to be in pain or distress? Like the sons of Korah here, there is a solution worked for them, and would work for me too, if I apply correctly.
As the verse above makes clear, we would always have moments of despair, when it seems that the burden is more than we can bear. Life on this side of eternity was set up to be brief, no matter how much you have, or how many people you know. This is why I cannot afford to live life without the help of the God who has conquered sin, death and the grave. As the sons of Korah lay it out, I keep God in remembrance at all times. I keep God right at the centre of my heart, before anything or anyone else seeks to make a claim on my heart. I do not permit anything negative to settle in and on my heart, before it leaves a lasting impression on my heart.
I seek to subject all things to the litmus test of God's word. I must know what God says about everything that touches me, and this is only possible when I know His word for me for every situation. Hope in God is built on a clear understanding of who He is, what He can do, as well as embracing His wisdom when it seems like He is quiet. I expectantly wait for someone who I am confident will come through for me. He brightens my day and stays in, when everyone else stays out. He never fails, disappears or disappoints; He is my ever-present help. Why would I stay in despair when I have an eternal God? Do you also have Him? God's time of favour is here.
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