I’ve been wondering how much of my tendency to wail about the present arises because I forget that whatever I’m going through is only one leg of a journey.
How many of my complaints stem from taking my eyes off the prize?
How much is despair rooted in letting the feeling of the moment be bigger than God?
I suspect, you see, that though God gives me today to live for His glory, someone else tempts me to live wholly in my emotions. Someone else whispers that how I feel right now is the most important thing. But it’s not.
Feelings are real–God gave us emotions–but they are not eternal: they will pass.
What helps me in the throes of intense distress is to turn to the Psalms. They model how to vent my woes–How long, Lord?–yet work through them and return to worship: “But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me” (Psalm 13).
What are your favorite Psalms for when you’re feeling low?
