Help in Troubled Times, Pt. 3

The most important counsel I can give to those who are walking
through troubled times is to be sure to not neglect your soul.

Help in Troubled Times, Pt. 3

"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."

(John 14:27)

Jesus gives us peace to get us through our troubled times and dark nights of the soul. Jesus tells us that His peace of mind and heart is unlike anything else in the world. The world cannot give us true peace, but He can. Therefore, we should not fear. Martin Luther wrote in his famous hymn, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God:

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us

Over the last couple of days, we have looked at Christian psychologist, Dr. Lane Ogden, and the timely words of advice and wisdom he offers to those who are tempted to give in to despair and fear. He writes that to battle fear, we must take care of our physical bodies and we should also maintain healthy contact with other people, especially the people of God, the Church. His last piece of advice, and the most important of all, is to take care of our spiritual health.

Dr. Ogden writes:

Most powerful and needful of all is close attention to our spiritual health in times of fear.

The seasons when we are in distress and feel weakest are often when we are in a position to gain the most, spiritually speaking (2 Corinthians 12:9). Remind yourself of who you are and, more importantly, whose you are. Rededicate yourself to God; remember, reflect on, and restore the joy of your salvation as David sought (Psalm 51:12).

Meditate on his goodness and on other scriptural passages that speak especially to you. Spend time memorizing Scripture. Perhaps do a study on the idea of dying to self (Luke 9:23) and what that might entail.

My personal favorite spiritual practice is to visualize and revel in what I consider a very powerful and picturesque passage, long ago memorized and dusted off every time fear knocks:

"When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. 'Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?' the servant asked.

"'Don't be afraid,' the prophet answered. 'Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.'

"And Elisha prayed, 'Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (2 Kings 6:15-17, NIV).

Fear not.

Don't be afraid.

"The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

(Source.)

I wholeheartedly agree with all he has written. The most important counsel I can give to those who are walking through troubled times is to be sure to not neglect your soul. You will be tempted to skip your daily devotions with Christ. A day here and a day there, and next thing you know, it has been weeks before you have spent any quality time with the God who loves you and can conquer your every fear.

These are challenging times, and if we are not careful, we will give in to fear. But the truths from God's Word are timeless. These truths will be with us for all eternity. We only get one go-around on this earth, so let us live in faith and with courage, always looking for that blessed day when the Lord comes to get us. Let us be about loving God and people and sharing the good news of Jesus and His love with everyone we meet.

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Podcast of the Week

Words of Wisdom from Pastor Jim Henry

Pastor Danny welcomes to the show Pastor Jim Henry, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention and lead pastor of First Baptist Church of Orlando, FL for over 29 years. Pastor Jim shares about his life and how God has worked in it. He also shares some words of encouragement and affirmation for followers of Christ in general and pastors specifically.

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