Sometimes life can be a real downer and you really need a lift. Are you there right now? Let’s take a self test. Here are four indicators that you might be in a down time:
- Maybe things are going great, but deep in your heart you’re thinking, “there’s got to be more than this to life.” You feel empty inside.
- You feel like things will never improve, tomorrow will be no better than today. Like your best days are behind you and there’s no sign of a better future.
- You have a sense of being lonely, even when you’re around people. Relationships aren’t doing it for you.
- It doesn’t seem like you can trust anyone anymore. Your confidence is shot.
Psalm 42 gives great advice for each of those areas of need. You can read Psalm 42 HERE.
The Bible gives no retouched photo of life or people. From Jesus to Moses, down times were experienced by all.
In Psalm 42, there are four keys to finding refreshment in your down times…
1. Thirst for God (v1-4) because we feel emptiness!
– We all long for God (v1-2a) : As it is natural for a deer to long for water, so also our souls naturally long for God. Our down times actually reveal the emptiness of life and our longing to know God. As thirst draws a deer to streams, so thirst in our hearts is designed to draw us to God. Our longing for God cannot be satisfied by anything else.
Pop-star Madonna, when asked the question, “are you a happy person?” replied, “I’m a tormented person. I have a lot of demons I’m wrestling with. But I want to be happy. I have moments of happiness. I’m working toward knowing myself…assuming that will bring me happiness.”
Comedian Eddie Murphy told People magazine, “I feel something’s missing…I don’t think there’s anyone who feels like there isn’t something missing in their life. No matter how much money you make, or how many cars or houses you have, or how many people you make happy, life isn’t perfect for anybody.”
In John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life”.
In effect Jesus was saying, “your thirst has been misplaced, the answer to your soul’s thirst is me.” One drink and you’ll never thirst again. His water is the water of eternal life. You’ve drunken from many wells (religion, career, relationships, stuff, but we’re still thirsty). Take your thirst to Jesus and ask for His water!
2. Hope in God (v5-8a) because we feel hopeless!
A human being can live about 40 days without food, roughly 3 days without water, and nearly 8 minutes without air, but not one minute without the sense the future will somehow be better than today. Researchers at Cornell University studied 25,000 POW’s from WW2. They concluded that a person could handle almost anything if they believe that their best days are ahead, if they had hope. We need to have hope to cope!
A lot of people have a kind of hope, but they haven’t based it on anything solid. People hope in the stock market, their good looks, a big salary job, a good family. All of those things are temporary and can be taken away. When they disappear, so does hope. But our text gives us two truths that are certain no matter how we feel and cannot be taken away. (1) Because He is always near for you (v5-7) & (2) Because He always cares for you (v8a)
3. Pray to God (v8b-10) because we feel loneliness!
What’s up with loneliness? Have you learned that you don’t have to be alone to feel lonely. It’s not the number of people around you that determines your loneliness, it’s your relationship to them. In the world we live in, people have never lived closer together, yet felt farther apart. Did you know can be wealthy and be lonely, look at Howard Hughes. You can be popular and be lonely, look at Michael Jackson. You can be beautiful and be lonely, remember Marilyn Monroe. You can even be married and be lonely!
Amy Grant’s got a great song. It says, “I love a lonely day. It gives me a chance to really focus on God.” Prayer is the hearts means of relating with God.
God invites us to pray…
- Pray from your heart (v8a): “His song…a prayer to God.” Don’t be afraid to sing, cry, or laugh.
- Pray humbly (8b): “the God of my life.” God is not some genie we rub to get something. He is God. Come before Him with a sense of awe in His presence.
- Pray honestly (v9-10): He know what you’re going through (just be honest about how you feel).
4. Count on God (v11) because we need confidence!
Count on God to handle your questions (v11). Our lowest times are often accompanied by questions. David asks ‘why’. But the answer for ‘why’ questions isn’t what, but WHOM! That Answer to life’s problems is not a program or a prescription or possessions, but a Person – God Himself.
Count on God to manage your life: The Bible says you can know God personally. You can become one of His children. Today would be a great day to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord & Savior.