Hope

 Psalm 42:11 ESV

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 wasn't feeling good. He felt cast down. He felt tumultuous.

Note that the psalmist didn't just listen to his feelings, he engaged with them. He didn't just passively accept the status quo. He considered how he could get out of his depressive rut.

The Bible is realistic about how we sometimes might feel. It doesn't pretend that if we come to Jesus we'll be happy all the time. Thankfully, it also gives strategies to try and get out of a depressive state.

The psalmist preached to himself. He commanded himself to hope in God. Even though he didn't feel like it at that time, he declared that he would again praise the Lord. We're to remind ourselves of who God is: he's our salvation.

'God our Saviour, please help us to hope in you, even when we feel depressed. For we come in the name of Jesus, amen'. 



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