Feeling down and can't praise the Lord? Its ok.

[IWalkAlone]

Its good to praise the Lord when you're feeling good. But its hard when you're not feeling so well. But thats ok. We can see this in David's words. He didn't feel like praising God because His despair was great. But he looked forward to the time he could praise the Lord again. At least that's how i read this Psalm anyway.

Psalms 42:5 Why are you [e]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [f]again praise [g]Him
For the [h]help of His presence, my God.
6 My soul is [j]in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the [k]peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
8 The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go about mourning [l]because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries taunt me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you [m]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will again praise [n]Him
For the [o]help of His presence, my God.



Look at the next Psalm. He asks for Joy so he can once again praise the Lord.

Psalms 43 Vindicate me, God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation;
[a]Save me from the deceitful and unjust person!
2 For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send out Your light and Your truth, they shall lead me;
They shall bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your dwelling places.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God [c]my exceeding joy;
And I will praise You on the lyre, God, my God.

5 Why are you [d]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [e]again praise [f]Him
For the [g]help of His presence, my God.

 

[IWalkAlone]

The Lord is my friend. I'm glad to have somewhere to say this. I don't go to Church because i have social anxiety.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hey,

Welcome to CF, May you be blessed here.

I have found that when I choose to praise despite feelings there is a release and oppression lifts.

I also refuse intrusions of depression in Jesus name treating them as an unwelcome visitor.

 

[IWalkAlone]

Hey,

Welcome to CF, May you be blessed here.

I have found that when I choose to praise despite feelings there is a release and oppression lifts.

I also refuse intrusions of depression in Jesus name treating them as an unwelcome visitor.

Thank you. I agree with you, but sometimes its hard. I just wanted people to know its ok if you cant. Sometimes we are pressed beyond measure. I also agree that we should cast out such thoughts if we are able. Sometimes however the pain is so great that we cannot. But then again im still growing, maybe one day i will be like you.

 

[IWalkAlone]

I think sorrow is a part of our growing process.


Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

2 Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in [d]Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 [e]Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

 

[Carl Emerson]

Thank you. I agree with you, but sometimes its hard. I just wanted people to know its ok if you cant. Sometimes we are pressed beyond measure. I also agree that we should cast out such thoughts if we are able. Sometimes however the pain is so great that we cannot. But then again im still growing, maybe one day i will be like you.

The journey to where I am was long and hard but I am very grateful. He is faithful.

...and yes I have at times been 'spiritually paralised' even unable to pray at all.

But hey He is at work within us to will and to do of His good purpose - so remember it is His work - let it be.

See my testimony here it may encourage you.

Jesus's Ministry

 

[IWalkAlone]

The journey to where I am was long and hard but I am very grateful. He is faithful.

...and yes I have at times been 'spiritually paralised' even unable to pray at all.

But hey He is at work within us to will and to do of His good purpose - so remember it is His work - let it be.

See my testimony here it may encourage you.

Jesus's Ministry

Thanks. Perhaps David was telling himself to praise God even though his soul was greatly distressed.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Thanks. Perhaps David was telling himself to praise God even though his soul was greatly distressed.

Yes... he expresses that in other psalms as well...

 

[IWalkAlone]

Yes... he expresses that in other psalms as well...

David waited on the Lord. He tells us to do the same. That can be hard to do when you are depressed. It does seem to speak of a season of depression though that he went through and he waited on God.

5 Why are you [d]in despair, my soul?
And why are you restless within me?
Wait for God, for I will [e]again praise [f]Him
For the [g]help of His presence, my God.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Yes and for us the presence is within us acting on our behalf according to His promise. In that we can take heart as David did.

 

[IWalkAlone]

Yes and for us the presence is within us acting on our behalf according to His promise. In that we can take heart as David did.

I don't know what others feel but i am sometimes overwhelmed with such pain that i cant help but be depressed and distressed. I hate it when people cause me that level of pain. I tell them about it. I act out from my pain. Other times its more mild and i just lay down and talk to God about it.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I learned to take my pain to the Cross and leave it with He who has already carried it for me.

This is a key that few seem to appreciate - I see the cross as an event that both happened in time and also happens for us now.