Sometimes, life's pains are so severe that even prayer seems impossible.
I am learning that a great prescription for emotional and spiritual pain is praying the Psalms back to God.
As I mentioned recently, Donald S. Whitney, author of Praying the Bible, recommends using scriptures to fuel your prayers. He suggests that the Psalms are particularly valuable as prayer fodder, although you can use other Bible passages, too.
The value of the Psalms is that they contain the whole gamut of emotions - from deep depression to great joy. And God is at the centre throughout.
Today, I turned to Psalm 46 for my daily read. The opening two verses caught my eye:
"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So, we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea."
This helped me remember that God is my refuge. He is always there for me. I can run to him for his comfort when things seem to be going wrong.
So, I thanked God for being there for me. I asked him for his strength.
Later in the Psalm, I read in verse 10: "Be still, and know that I am God!"
I was reminded that, no matter what the circumstances, God is God! Stopping and focusing my mind on who God is helps restore perspective to my anxious thoughts. He knows the beginning from the end. He is almighty. He is working things out for good to those who love him.
In fact, I occasionally picture Jesus with me and neither of us says a word to the other. I am just content to be with him. This brings me peace.
The rest of Psalm 46 is a great encouragement when struggling with worries. It speaks of God and how awesome he is. I may not know my way out of a particular problem, but God has everything in hand.
The Psalm's description of God is a platform for praising our Lord. Praising God brings a measure of hope.
So, I am grateful for the psalms - a record of honest feelings expressed to a loving and mighty God.
They help me pray.
I am learning that a great prescription for emotional and spiritual pain is praying the Psalms back to God.
As I mentioned recently, Donald S. Whitney, author of Praying the Bible, recommends using scriptures to fuel your prayers. He suggests that the Psalms are particularly valuable as prayer fodder, although you can use other Bible passages, too.
The value of the Psalms is that they contain the whole gamut of emotions - from deep depression to great joy. And God is at the centre throughout.
Today, I turned to Psalm 46 for my daily read. The opening two verses caught my eye:
"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So, we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea."
This helped me remember that God is my refuge. He is always there for me. I can run to him for his comfort when things seem to be going wrong.
So, I thanked God for being there for me. I asked him for his strength.
Later in the Psalm, I read in verse 10: "Be still, and know that I am God!"
I was reminded that, no matter what the circumstances, God is God! Stopping and focusing my mind on who God is helps restore perspective to my anxious thoughts. He knows the beginning from the end. He is almighty. He is working things out for good to those who love him.
In fact, I occasionally picture Jesus with me and neither of us says a word to the other. I am just content to be with him. This brings me peace.
The rest of Psalm 46 is a great encouragement when struggling with worries. It speaks of God and how awesome he is. I may not know my way out of a particular problem, but God has everything in hand.
The Psalm's description of God is a platform for praising our Lord. Praising God brings a measure of hope.
So, I am grateful for the psalms - a record of honest feelings expressed to a loving and mighty God.
They help me pray.
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