Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God ,for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
The Psalmist knows why he is sad. He knows why his soul was downcast, but in this moment he is doing something that is really difficult todo when you’re in the thick of a trying time: He is speaking to his soul. But why is this important? How does speaking to one’s soul make anything better?
The soul is described as the spirit and essence of a person, the seat of our will, intellect and emotion. When we face difficult seasons in our life, whether it is a specific moment or a longer span of time, it is important to remind ourselves of who God is and what He says. Not only reading the Word of God, but listening to it, speaking it and even singing it, because there is power in His Word.
Romans10:17 says ‘Faith comes by hearing the message.” This is one of the ways that our faith grows and matures, hearing the truth of God’s word spoken to us and speaking that truth to ourselves. Are you sick? Speak Jeremiah 30:17 “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD.” Do you need comfort? Speak Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” As we speak the Word of God over ourselves and our situations we are reminded that our hope is in a God that is bigger than our difficulties, struggles and pain. It moves our focus from the issue at hand and places it squarely on the God who is able to meet our every need and make us more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus our Lord!
Father, help me to remember that my hope is in you the author and perfector of my faith.
In times of trouble help me to speak to the truth of your to my soul. Amen.
by: Kalesha Peters
