Hope for the Weary Soul

You don't have to go through trials alone. Talk to a brother or sister in Christ, and let them come alongside you with biblical truth and love.

Hope for the Weary Soul

This week's devotions are written by my friend Jessica Hermann, former director of our college ministry at Great Hills Baptist Church.

- Pastor Danny

"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)

This week, I'm sharing some of the verses of Scripture that have been particularly dear, helpful, and transformative to me in various seasons of my life. Before I was a Christian, I struggled with debilitating depression. When I became a Christian, I falsely believed that all my depressive tendencies and temptations would disappear now that I was a follower of Jesus. To my surprise, a few years later while in university, I began to feel depressed again. I started to feel myself beginning to slip down that spiral of despair and I found myself very confused. So many questions can fill your brain when you feel this level of despair as a Christian. I thought I wasn't supposed to feel like this as a Christian. I thought I was immune to this now... right?

I continued to wrestle with this, afraid to seek help (something I deeply regret). However, the Lord lifted me and gave me hope through Psalm 42. The despair was a feeling, not a reality. I had been deceived to interpret my situation as despairing. The reality, however, was that I had great hope in Jesus.

In Psalm 42, the Psalmist shares that "My tears have been my food day and night while they say to me all the day long, 'Where is your God'?" Wow. I could relate to this feeling.

Now, I don't know if the Psalmist was depressed here. That word alone can stir up large opinions amongst Christians. What I think is clear is that the Psalmist is feeling great sadness and deep emotions which have led him to ask God, "Why have you forgotten me?" in verse 9. These feelings were real for the Psalmist, and they were present for me in this season. Yet it is the response of the Psalmist to these feelings and circumstances that helped me to trust in the Lord and find great hope amidst the dark night of the soul I found myself in.

After expressing the depth of his troubles and emotions, the Psalmist pens a very powerful verse. Psalm 42:11 says, "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." The Psalmist speaks truth to his own soul. He knows what is true, and he knows that there is hope in God regardless of what he is feeling at the moment. I remember being discipled when I was younger to "preach the gospel to myself daily." The Psalmist here is preaching to his own soul. He exhorts his own soul with the truth of God and the hope there is in Him.

The Lord used these verses to lift me from the darkness I felt I was in. I was encouraged to see the Psalmist being honest with his emotions. He didn't hide them; he confessed them. But he didn't sit in them and allow them to fester and spiral. He spoke truth and placed His hope in God, reminding Himself of who God is: His Savior. This helped me to be honest with my troubles and to learn the practice of speaking Scripture directly over the lies and doubt and problems that I experienced. It gave me great hope in a time of despair. If you are feeling despair, speak truth to your soul. If you don't know what is true or don't know any Scripture to speak into your situation, ask someone you trust. Ask a friend, a pastor, a trusted brother or sister in Christ. You don't have to do this alone. Let the Church be the Church and come alongside you to remind you and teach you what is true.

I find it fitting that this verse is actually repeated twice in this psalm. It is found in verse 5 and then again in verse 11. When you find yourself in these dark seasons, we must repeat these truths to ourselves over and over again. If you have made the decision to follow Jesus, this is a decision you only have to make once. However, we make the decision to choose to believe and hope in what is true, despite our circumstances and emotions, over and over again. It is good that we remind ourselves of truth over and over again. It is good that we fill our minds with truth over and over and over again. And oftentimes, we must.

Do you feel downcast? Do you feel as if your soul is in turmoil within you? Hope in God. Praise Him. He is your salvation. He is your God.