What To Do When You Are Overwhelmed and Facing Despair
(Psalms 77:1-12)
(Psalms 77:1-12)
Overwhelmed – Languished, sickly, without strength
The truth is you are going to face some difficulty. Life will present you with things you simply don’t understand.
In the first few verses of chapter 77, we see Asaph’s emotional state:
-vs 1) He’s crying out to God
And this is described as a day (or season) of trouble
-vs 2) I seek the Lord; in the night
He’s praying all night long, but not getting through
-vs2b) Spirit is overwhelmed
-vs 4) You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
He can’t sleep due to the issues or even speak about them
When we are feeling overwhelmed, we tend to ask questions: “Why did this happen?”
In verses 7-9, we see Asaph asking 6 questions that all deal with the character of God
All of these questions deal with God’s character
“No matter what His hand is doing in our lives, His heart has not changed.” – Warren Weirsbe
“The decisions you make during the time of despair will bring about your deliverance.” – Pastor Billy Johnson
What are these decisions:
Vs. 10 – This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
It is so easy to forget what God has done throughout our lives, but we must make an intentional decision to remember. In this scripture, right hand refers to the favor and goodness of God. So it is incumbent on us to remember His right hand, His favor and goodness.
Works, in this passage, implies practices and deeds. We must remember all that God has done.
These are the miracles and unusual things of old. We must even remember these. Remember times when God stepped in on your behalf.
-meditate means to mutter or respeak. It means taking the things you remember and rehearsing them in your mind over and over.
“Meditation is worry in reverse.” – Anonymous
When you take inventory over what you’ve been meditating on over the previous week, are you meditating on what God has done or not? What you meditate on is what you cultivate.
Vs. 11b – and talk of thy doings.
Say something! Talk back to things that are bringing you despair. Jesus said talk to the mountain. Meditation is important, but we must begin to tell our troubles what God said about us!