ENCOURAGE YOUR SOUL

Life is not always easy. It seems we go from one battle to the next, from one challenge to another. All the great saints of God in the Bible suffered hard times, but they show us how to survive in the difficult times.

In Lamentations chapter 5 Jeremiah laments for 18 verses about all the terrible things happening in Israel, but he doesn't stay discouraged. In verse 19 he exclaims that God is still in control, "You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation."

When David was going through one of the darkest times of his life (one of them, because he went through many) his confession saved him. In 1 Samuel 30 we read the story of how David and his men came back to their city of Ziklag to find that the Amalekites had destroyed their city with fire and captured all their wives and children. They wept until they had no more power to weep. In fact David's' men were in such distress they wanted to stone him. Even in this hour of despair, he "ENCOURAGED himself in the Lord his God," and it was then that God showed him what to do (1 Samuel 30:6-18).

This was David's habit. When he was cast down and in the pits, he would speak to his soul, "Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? HOPE IN GOD! For I shall still praise Him for the saving help of his presence" (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5 WEB).

Take your eyes off your problems and put them on the Lord. It is then that you will hear His voice speaking to you. It's hard to hear His voice when you are consumed with your problem.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell