April 4, 2020

Psalm 42 says: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” And later, the Psalmist will say, “Now I am deeply discouraged.” While the Psalmist is lamenting the absence of God, I am sure these are the feeling we had when we heard the projections for the Coronavirus in Ontario. Over 200,000 infected if we hadn’t initiated a strict prevention measures, but because we did, the projection is over 12,000. And the total deaths between 3000-15,000. The numbers and implications are staggering and the emotions are overwhelming and discouraging. How do we cope? How do we overcome? The Psalmist gives us the answer.

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again – my saviour and my God. Now I am deeply discouraged but I will remember you…

The answer to the discouragement and sadness, to those overwhelming feelings is: put your hope in God, praise Him and remember Him.

And notice what happens in verse 7: “I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me… each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me.” The Psalmist says I hear… that is in real time. The presence of the Lord is often described in terms related to water. As the Psalmist hoped in God; as the Psalmist praised Him and remembered Him, He began to experience the presence of the Lord.

And those feelings of discouragement and sadness were replaced with the Lord’s presence and with the Lord’s love.

So, as you face these days of discouragement and sadness, keep your hope in Him; praise His Holy name and remember His grace and goodness to you and soon His presence will give you right focus, confidence and an overcoming mindset.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, in these days of discouragement, defeat, death and sadness, I choose to remember your goodness revealed in Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. I choose to put my hope in you Jesus and I invite you Holy Spirit to make me sensitive to your presence so that I am not discouraged anymore. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.