“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” (Psalm 42:11 ESV).
The psalmist searched his own soul to discover the source of his distress. When we look inward to find the source of our soul’s discouragement, we should not be surprised to discover that we have set our hopes on something other that the Lord. Let us instruct our souls to hope in God instead!
When you are discouraged and “cast down,” you can learn to encourage yourself in the Lord as David did (See 1 Sam. 30:6). Bring your soul to the Lord. Instruct your soul to “hope in God” and “praise Him.” Have you not yet learned that a fresh encounter with God will change the disposition of your soul and therefore your countenance, putting a smile in place of a frown?
Pull your soul’s hope off its idols and put its hope on God.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we worship You for today for You are worthy. We praise You for our salvation through Christ Jesus. We thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed on us. We pull our hope and affection off of worldly and material things and put them wholly on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.