Just like the Psalmist

When I am discouraged,

when my heart is sad,

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise him again –

my Savior and my God!

I do lose my optimism sometimes and lose sight of the hope Christ has been giving me. There are days when I feel like everything lies in my hand – both successes and failures. I forget that I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength (Philippians 4:13) and I end up depending on my own understanding instead. I try to resolve every discouragement and trials in my own way, my own terms, and my own wisdom. And when things become totally messed up or out of my control, I would then whine up just like the Israelites in the wilderness.

When we see ourselves as the masters of our fate and the captain of our souls, we are actually bringing ourselves into our self-made doom. We can’t make it on our own. No matter how hard we try to, we will only end up broken, tired, and lost. True wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his (Job 12:13).

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time. The LORD protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken (Psalm 34:19 – 20). The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8). Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:5-6).

When life is pressing you down and it seems like there’s no way out when your hope is fading and you are tempted to be discouraged, may you, like the psalmist, put your hope in God!