Isn't it encouraging to know that righteousness doesn't depend on being in a good mood 24/7? The last few days have been less than sunshine and birds chirping. It's funny how all it takes is one negative thought that can start a downward spiral of self-consciousness, loneliness, and despair. These moments are so tough to deal with. Everything in your life has a tinge of darkness. If it gets bad enough, you'll start to think things like "What am I doing here?" and "Nobody wants me" and "I'm a failure." The longer these thoughts marinate in your mind, the longer they start to become truth. How do you fight these thoughts? How do you overcome these moments? Is there any way out?
Psalm 118:17 says, "I will not die but live, and will declare what the Lord has done."
You have to declare the truth to yourself. You have to command yourself to live.
Psalm 103 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy name."
You have to command your soul to praise the Lord. There are times that we don't necessarily feel like praising the Lord. There are times that we want to listen to songs that match our mood and complement our lonely feelings and sad moods instead of music that fights against it.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
You have to realize that there is someone who wants you to stay in a bad mood all the time. Satan is real and he is fighting to demolish our spirits and relationships with God. He is a pro at telling half-truths. He will say "You are lonely." That is a half truth. Yes, I feel lonely, but Deuteronomy 31:6 says God will never leave me nor forsake me. Satan will say , "You messed up. There is no way you can fix this." The truth is yes, you messed up. However, there is redemption. Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." There is new grace, new forgiveness with every morning. We are the redeemed of the Lord. We are His beloved.
So, I'm sitting here having written this blog, having had a bad day, and am now convinced that God is who He says He is. He is in love with me. He forgives me for all the times I've messed up. He is always with me. I can't help but to smile. So many times I've said, "Thank you God for giving me a reason to smile." If for no other reason, I can smile for and about Him. I will not die but live. I have a holy purpose to walk out. I choose to worship God and I choose to not go to sleep feeling sad and alone. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!
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