A Heart For Jesus

  “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”  Psalm‬ ‭42‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬ ‭‭  This verse appears twice in Psalm 42, in verses 5 and 11, and again in Psalm 43:5. This made me wonder who wrote this Psalm must have been going through some challenging times. Have you ever felt this way or asked yourself similar questions? Why am I feeling “cast down”? Why is my soul in “turmoil within me”? Perhaps it’s because of an offhand remark that you took personally. How did those comments make you feel? Small, inferior, inadequate, not good enough? The list could go on. But why are you listening to the negative voices instead of the truth the Spirit is trying to convey to you? Don’t let your emotions or feelings overpower you. Instead of letting yourself speak to you, why not turn the tables and speak to yourself? Isn’t that what the Psalmist did in Psalm 42? They were likely growing weary of...

Have you ever experienced this? Problems accumulate, and your circumstances worsen. Every minor issue seems to bother you, making you feel like you’re under attack. All you can focus on is the current problem, and you’re at a loss for solutions, unable to see a way out. In such times, we must pause, take a deep breath, and pray that God would open our eyes, help us perceive His perspective, and trust in Him to find a way when it seems impossible. David penned Psalm 3:3-4 while fleeing from his son Absolam. “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.” In his fear and anxiety, what did David do? He prayed to God, and He rescued him. In 2Chronicles 20:1-23, Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah faced numerous challenges and adversaries. What did Jehoshaphat do? He sought the Lord, proclaimed a fast, made others aware of the struggle, and set his face and fixed his eyes on seeking the Lord. He...

  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3 Perfect peace is bestowed upon us when our minds remain focused on God and when we place our trust in Him. What exactly does perfect peace entail? And how can we attain this “perfect peace” in Christ amidst circumstances that tend to induce anxiety and/or despair? Anxiety, the kind that keeps you awake at night or causes you to toss and turn, is the kind that plays out in your mind, presenting scenarios and what-ifs. You yearn for a switch that could turn off your mind. Paul, in Philippians 4:6-7, reminds us to “be anxious for nothing,” to pray about everything, and to make our requests known to God. He assures us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. So, will I trust Him in the midst of a challenge, a struggle, or a trial? Is my mind focused on God and His capabilities, or am I preoccupied with figuring out how to fix things or determining the ...