I have been struggling lately not to do more than just go through the motions of what I'm supposed to do, and really have to do, day after day. Of course there are notable exceptions, such as when Deb and I celebrated our granddaughter's first birthday, just recently.
When I lose heart, then I know I need to pray. Jesus taught his disciples that they should always pray, rather than lose heart, or give up. Sometimes that's all I feel I can do, simply pray. And keep praying.
In the ebb and flow of life, this does seem like a kind of low time for me. One that carries with it plenty of sadness and some numbness with it.
But such a time can be a special time to come before God in his word and in prayer. That is what I want to do.
What about you? How do you go through such times?
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6 comments:
How do I go through such times---it depends on the time period. ..like you said prayer. I sometimes feed myself lots of Christian music or get myself into a heavy Bible study--those things always have helped. I try to talk to myself ;-)---in other words I don't just let my thoughts go every which way, but when I realize the downward spiral of my thoughts I speak truth to myself....kind of like David did when he said , Why art thou cast down oh my soul, hope in God and I shall yet praise him (or something like that)
One thing I noticed when visiting my mother-in-law at the nursing home one time is that she was frantic and very worried (she has Alzheimer's)--she had all of her needs provided at that moment but she was frantic. I thought that this is an example to me of how I can be---right now at this very moment I have food, clothing, a home, an intact family, friends etc--I don't need to be so negative--it is when I allow untruths to enter my thinking and fears about the future etc.that the sadness can build and can take over, or when I fail to trust that the situation I do not like is in His Hands.
I also find that adequate food, exercise and sleep helps.
But perhaps we are given this sadness at times so we can know that fullness of joy is only in Him and not in the people, things, events,health, conditions that exist around us. I suppose it makes us long for the new life that awaits us.
I understand the problem of losing heart, of weariness. I do lots of different things but the only thing that works consistently is to read the Word, pray and fellowship with certain Christians who always seem to have a knack of bringing a kingdom perspective to my circumstance... not pretentiously but sincerely
Nannykim,
Thanks for your good, helpful thoughts here. Yes, the needed rest is something I can not do so well in, since Deb is often gone at work, during nights. She does seem to sleep quire well when she is at home, during the nights, and that means, lights out!
But talking to yourself. I end up doing that by being in Scripture. A lot of self-talk for me has been negative. I have to get back to Scripture, and mouth those words "out loud" to myself.
Faith is a walk and a journey. I guess people panic or are concerned because even though it looks good now, they don't know what lies ahead. But we have to remember that God who is with us now, will be with us always.
The change needs to take place in us, so that we are more readily given to trusting implicitly in the Lord, no matter what. Easy to say, but something we must keep growing into, surely.
Thanks.
ESI,
Thanks for your good, helpful thoughts here, and I concur!
The weakest part of that link for me is fellowship. There are some really good, sound Christians I know, but I'm just not in that relationship with any of them, where we meet on any kind of regular basis. So I need to work on that.
Yes, Ted and ESI--I have a small accountability group that meets weekly and they have become good friends. They are great for helping in this area!! Especially praying with them has been a great aid.
Also, for extreem depression and hardship,I like what Mike Mason says in his book on Job--"But anyone who has truly suffered will know that when it comes to the real thing there is no help for it, no human help what soever. Simply put, when we are in a deep dark hole we cannot think our way out; neither can we hope, sing, pray, or even love our way out..........Only the Lord Himself can do that, and when He does, as Exodus 6:6 puts it, 'Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke.' How will we know? Simply because nothing and no one else could possibly have done it. In this kind of crucible, therefore, we come to a new understanding of what it means to be saved, what it means to be snatched away from the brink of destruction. Here we get down to the bedrock of the gospel."
Thanks, Nannykim.
Good quote! And glad you're in such a group. That would do us all good!
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