A Meditation for those in Spiritual Depression

Ps. 42: 1-8
"I pour out my soul on me." (vs. 4)

"Why are you downcast (bowed down), O my soul?  Why so disturbed (growl, rage, uproar) within me?" (vs. 5)

The Psalmist-poet has provided for us a timeless description of spiritual depression.  We are not given any information as to how he has come into this time of grief.  However, he does give a poignant in situ description of his spiritual warfare with his condition.  He finds himself in a dry, parched estate.  As a deer pants for water after fleeing for his life from some desperate encounter, so his soul pants after God.  From there he moves on say that he has not eaten and that his tears have been his sustenance day and night.

Those who knew of his condition had no healing word for him, in fact they only had a word of discouragement.  They said, "Where is your God?"  They were taken aback by the reversal of circumstances of the psalmist.  Why?  The psalmist admits that in the past that he used to go to the house of worship leading the multitude with shouts of joy and thanksgiving. (vs. 4)  But now that is all gone and he finds himself mired in misery.  "Why are you down cast, O my soul?"

The used to has been suspended by the poignant invasiveness of insistent trials and stabbing grief.  Through the probing grief of his situation there is the one constant that has not changed.  Through the intensity of his affliction he places hope in God.  He says, "I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

He says, "Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls, all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

He is battered by grief and laid low by his circumstances and yet in spite of his suffering he knows that the Iesous has not let go of him.  By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song (music therapy) is with me ... the God of my life.

Are you presently experiencing a situation that has taken away your peace of mind?  Are you asking God to do something about a particularly difficult situation?  Do you feel isolated from others due to the trauma of you grief?

Hope in Iesous.  He has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

For more information about Dr. Rich and his teachings or if your organization is in need of an inspirational speaker, please visit his web site or call MVP Seminars at (510) 558-3495.