When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Psalm 56

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which, like last Friday, examines anxiety. In this devotion, John Piper starts where last Friday left off, stating "[o]ne possible response to the truth that our anxiety is rooted in unbelief goes like this: "I have to deal with feelings of anxiety almost every day; and so I feel like my faith in God’s grace must be totally inadequate. So I wonder if I can have any assurance of being saved at all."' His response to this question offers encouragement to those of us who struggle with anxiety; I know I do - God has helped me in this area greatly but there is room to mature in this area. Piper goes on to share that "[w]hen anxiety strikes and blurs our vision of God’s glory and the greatness of the future that he plans for us, this does not mean that we are faithless, or that we will not make it to heaven. It means our faith is being attacked. At first blow, our belief in God’s promises may sputter and swerve. But whether we stay on track and make it to the finish line depends on whether, by grace, we set in motion a process of resistance — whether we fight back against the unbelief of anxiety."  He refers us to Psalm 56 (and elsewhere in scripture where the same message of encouragement is offered), then wraps up the devotion by referring back to Psalm 56:3 saying "[n]otice: it does not say, “I never struggle with fear.” Fear strikes, and the battle begins. So the Bible does not assume that true believers will have no anxieties. Instead, the Bible tells us how to fight when they strike." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good, good God who never leaves or forsakes me, who always hears my cries, and helps me see the joy and blessing in all circumstances.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin is great and it continues.  Please forgive me for my lack of patience, and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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

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

I paused once more on my studies of both Isaiah and Proverbs to listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which builds on my post yesterday where the daily devotion focused on how we can battle discouragement.  Today the devotion focuses on how "preaching to self" is a powerful method to fight discouragement and despondency. Piper refers to Martin Lloyd-Jones' book Spiritual Depression and how we are prone to listen to the self-doubting statements that swirl about our heads from the moment we wake in the morning.  Lloyd-Jones encourages us to "talk [preach] to ourselves" vs "listening to ourselves."  Piper writes that: "[t]his is what the psalmist does in Psalm 42. The psalmist preaches to his troubled soul. He scolds himself and argues with himself. And his main argument is future grace: 'Hope in God! Trust in what God will be for you in the future. A day of praise is coming. The presence of the Lord will be all the help you need. And he has promised to be with us forever.'"

We should be encouraged to battle the chatter in our heads - trust in God, believe in Him, fight back, and use scripture and the Holy Spirit!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God and I know You love me and You are for me and You never leave or forsake me.  You also provide the Holy Spirit, the church, Your Word, and my brothers and sisters in Christ - all as a means for me to grow in my faith to endure and be a light.  Thank You Jesus!  I am encouraged!  Yet I am not deserving of Your grace...my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Matthew 26 and Hebrews 12

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Genesis 2:18

I extended a pause on my studies of both Isaiah and of Proverbs to listen to today's Solid Joys daily devotion on DesiringGod.com.  John Piper's devotion today examines how Jesus battled depression (using the night before He went to the cross as the example) and Piper urges us to avoid unbelief and not putting up a spiritual battle.  Using Matthew 26:37-39 and Hebrews 12:2, he points to six ways that we can use to put up a spiritual battle:

1. He chose some close friends to be with him. “Taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee” (Matthew 26:37).
2. He opened his soul to them. He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38).
3. He asked for their intercession and partnership in the battle. “Remain here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38).
4. He poured out his heart to his Father in prayer. “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39).
5. He rested his soul in the sovereign wisdom of God. “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
6. He fixed his eye on the glorious future grace that awaited him on the other side of the cross. “For the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). 

Note how three of the six related to other people and the other three, of course, relate to God.  God should be first.  God will then point to and connect us to others who will help us in the battle.  Saturate yourself with God and surround yourself with brothers and sisters in Christ who will help you in the battle.  

From the very beginning - Genesis 2 - we hear from God how "it is not good that man should be alone." I have fought the battle of depression and I know this for sure.  Take Piper's words to heart.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who has given me Your Son, the Holy Spirit, Your Word, and brothers and sisters in Christ who arm me in the battle against this world and depression - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.