How to Handle Life's Ups and Downs

Have you ever noticed how quickly we can go from worship to worry, from contentment to complaint? Life is filled with highs and lows.  Navigating our way is a struggle at times.  David in Psalm 27 provides encouragement and perspective to help us through life's ups and downs. The Psalmist is facing great danger and finds himself confronted with tremendous difficulty, yet his confidence remains in the Lord.  David manages to engage in 4 conversations before the Lord in 14 short verses.  

David does not begin with talking to himself about how difficult his life is at this time, and all his problems; instead, in the first six verses he talks to himself about the promises and protection of the Lord. ( The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? - Ps 27:1 ) and (For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock - Ps 27:5).  Life is hard sometimes.  We  have to talk ourselves through it.  We learn from David  when faced with difficulty, we don't need to talk to ourselves about our problems because we will end up angry, depressed and discouraged. Our " self talk " should be about the Lord's promises, protection and privileges.  We are encouraged to : speak to yourselves in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord - Eph 5:19).

In the next six verses David engages in a conversation with the Lord.   He talks to the Lord about his problems and makes his plea for help (Hear O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. Hide not thy face far from me ; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation (Ps 27:7-9).  David recognized talking to himself about his problems would lead to despair but talking to Jesus about his situation would lead to his deliverance.  When problems arise and difficulty confronts us we need to keep talking to Jesus about our situation. We are urged to: cast all our care upon Him; for He careth for you (I Pet 5:7). 


 David converses with himself again in verse 13:  I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Reminding ourselves about the goodness of the Lord when we are going through helps us to maintain perspective and prevents us from completely losing it.  (This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not . They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness- Lam 3:21-23). 

The Psalmist's ends with an encouragement to others: Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait I say on the Lord (Ps 27:14).  When we take a moment to encourage someone else we are strengthened.

So this week, let's refuse to rehearse our difficulties over and over in our minds; instead,  let's rehearse His promises.   When problems come up let's talk to Jesus about them. While we wait for Him to deliver us, let's  maintain our perspective by remembering how good He has been to us in the past.  And instead of focusing on our own issues, let's look to encourage someone else.

until the next time,
Diane


p.s.  spend some time reading and meditating on Psalm 27

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