Dear Church,

Yesterday we walked through Psalm 42 and saw something powerful: the psalmist, from the pit of depression, preaches to his own soul.  Not once but twice, once in verse 5 and again in verse 11, he says: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

He doesn’t wait for the fog to lift. He doesn’t pretend everything is okay. He talks to himself honestly.  One part of him is struggling, the other part is reminding him where to place his hope. It’s as if he says, “Self, I know you’re down.  But it’s time to trust God.”

Author Paul Tripp puts it well: “No one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do.”

So today, here’s your challenge for Monday: Don’t just listen to yourself.  Talk to yourself. Read the scripture and talk to you the truth it reveals.  When fear rises, speak faith.  When sorrow lingers, speak hope. Take hold of your inner life and say, “Why are you cast down? What business have you to be disquieted? Hope in God!”

The truth of living for God often begins with learning to handle our own heart. Not by pretending, but by surrendering, by having honest conversations with God and preaching to yourself. There will be times in our life where we just need to speak to ourselves “I’m going to praise God even though I don’t feel like it.  I’m going to trust His character. He’s God and I’m not. Since God is for me, who can be against me? He loves me and therefore I can trust Him to do what is right.”

Hold on.  Speak the truth.  And say with the Psalmist “I will yet praise Him my Savior and my God.”

Be Encouraged,
Mathews