God has answered many of my prayers in the past few weeks. Each one brought a great emotional response best described as exceeding joy! However, the last two days I’ve not felt joyful, even a bit depressed. I’ve had lots of sleep and more answers to prayer, but not the same elation. It is so noticeable that I’ve wondered if something was wrong with me. Have I been disobedient and didn’t realize it? Am I not thankful? What is going on?
As usual, I asked Him to give me what I need today, even asked Him to show me why my emotions seem so flat. What is making me feel like this?
As I read through today’s reading in Psalm 40, I identified with the psalmist. He had waited patiently for the Lord and cried out to Him. The Lord brought him out of a “horrible pit” and put a song in his mouth. He praised God for all the wonderful things He had done and was doing, and shared the good news with others. I’ve been there these days.
Then the last verse grabbed my attention. “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.”
In all of the rejoicing over answered prayer, how easily I forgot this basic truth—I am still poor and needy. No matter how much God does for me, I must not forget that I always need His help and deliverance. No matter how often He blesses me, those blessings must never sidetrack me into thinking that I am special, or invincible, or that I’ve somehow “arrived.” Like the Israelites who needed fresh manna each day, I can be thankful and praise God, but I cannot stand in the joy of yesterday’s blessings.
Each day brings new challenges, reveals new needs. The emotional highs of last week are not going to carry me this week. God is. He is my Savior and no matter how often He pulls me out of a pit, I am still poor and needy.
As I read this verse, I knew that He allowed this sense of being let down so that I would again turn to Him, rather than coast on His blessings. Sometimes God simply has to save me from myself.
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