Unshackled Moments ~ July 24 ~ Dealing With Despondency Part 3

Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

- Psalm 43

As the Part 3 in today's UM title indicates, for the two days previous we have been looking at Psalm 43 as an example of the process of dealing with despondency and depression in as spiritually successful and correct manner. In Part 1 we saw the Psalmist's honest expression of Self trying to deal with the unfairness of life. In Part 2, while still coming somewhat from a place of Self and listening to Self, the Psalmist turns to God for help. Today we wrap it up with Part 3 and a look at the last verse.

Verse 5 of this chapter is a key verse and the second most important aspect of dealing with the despondency that comes from being bombarded by that voice in our heads telling us that God doesn't care, that things aren't ever going to be good or right or whatever is lacking, or that if they are it won't last long and then something will make it even worse.   That voice that says bad always follows good. That the need won't be met. Whatever that voice of Self, the old cursed flesh brain with its dysfunction and pity addiction, is saying that steals our hope, weakens our faith, robs us of joy and smashes peace to pieces. It's always been like this, or has been since that happened whatever that trauma was, and it will always be this way, Self says.

The problem is that we are listening to Self. We need to make Self listen to us, not the old us of course, that's just Self arguing with Self. That'll make us crazy and despondent. No, we are a new creation, the spirit that is within us is born of God and as heir to the Creator has access to His Spirit, power, and grace. The most important thing to do when losing hope and struggling with depression, fear, confusion, etc. is to ask for help from Daddy. We need His rescue, His power, His grace, His wisdom,....we need Him. But the next most important thing is to  take control of the conversation.

Don't argue with Self, but put it in its place and refute its whining with truth. Make it clear that truth will be chosen over the exaggerations and generalizations of self pity.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. 

Self, why are you so upset? Why are you so afraid? Hope in God, because your generalities and assumptions about the nature of God are wrong. He is faithful and good and loves me. He does have a plan and a purpose and will make something good come out of this. I'm going to praise Him. He makes me feel better, and He is my God. 

I love that last part. It shows we have finally gotten to a place of looking to God as the answer and no longer coming from a place of Self. The big clue is the difference in praise. Before Self promises to praise if God helps. take away my difficulties that victory over them may bear witness, we pray in Step 3. But by Step 7 we're giving ourselves totally to God, without condition, and the request has gone from take away my difficulties to take away anything in me that gets in the way of You.  What an awesome difference. A growth of living by the power of the Spirit  in the newly created spirit that loves God and trusts Him from the desperation of self will run riot.

Self complains and fears and doubts and refuses to trust. But the spirit within has to chosen to believe the truth of God. Self says everything is going wrong, and it doesn't look like there's any possible way that it'll get better. Then our spirit says yet I will praise Him! And I give praise to Him who is able to do the impossible. And if He delivers me from the fire I will praise Him, but if He chooses not to deliver me from this I will praise Him and rely on Him to endure. The circumstances may or may not change, but we will be changed. Our reaction to the situation will change. We will find it possible to have peace and joy in the midst of storms rather than as a condition of the storms ceasing. 

Self will never trust God. Self will never be able to completely relax and rely on God's protection, love and goodness. But the spirit within us says yes to Him. We can listen to the propaganda of a pity junkie or listen to the truth of Him who is able and faithful to do all that He said He will do. There is a verse that says that we are to choose this day whom we will serve. The man declaring this choice says that for him and his household, they would serve the Lord. I would like to amend that idea. Choose this day whom you will listen to, the voice of Self, who is powerless to do anything to help or comfort, or to the voice of truth that says God loves you and will care for you, restore you and be your refuge. As for me, I choose the voice of truth.



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