Consolation

On September 29, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 94: 19               NIV

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.

It should come as no surprise that God can ease our souls even in times of great anxiety. What may be easily overlooked, however, is our contemplation of God’s abundant grace in our time of need.  

When we are under pressure or worried it is easy to retreat within ourselves. I call it the turtle syndrome. We withdraw into our shells in an attempt to protect our vulnerabilities. While it may be a completely normal reaction to stress or anxiety, it is the worst thing we can do. Walking with God is not always intuitive though. That is why the Bible tells us that we must renew our minds (Romans 12: 2). God is our strength and our fortress in our times of need. So, instead of drawing in on ourselves we must learn to extend our hearts to Him. This is walking in faith. It is the path of walking in the Spirit also. The very essence of walking with God is that we turn towards Him at all times. We can learn to live in a state of always looking towards Him.

Another key element of receiving the consolation of God in those anxious moments is to seek Him with your heart. How do you do that? For me it is always a matter of shutting up my mind for a few minutes. When you can get quiet in your mind and in your heart then you will find that you can hear God. In times of high anxiety, though, it feels like your insides are running on caffeine. Slow down, take some time to quiet down and look to God to be the consoler of your heart. Pick up your Bible and turn to the Psalms. God will give you peace and comfort. He always does. He will trade your anxiety for His consolation and peace. In times of great trouble, He is there with you. He has joy ready to pour into your heart. Train your heart to turn to Him and receive.

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Blessed Peace

On May 2, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Psalm 94: 19

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, thy consolations delight my soul.

Have you ever had one of those days when your thoughts are anxious and wearisome? Sure, everyone has. In my Bible the word multiply has a footnote beside it which reveals that the writer of this Psalm is intending to convey to us that many are his anxious thoughts. Worry can eat you up. It is a very unpleasant companion. When anxious thoughts are multiplying within you even your physiology reacts. Really, this is the cause of many sicknesses. I know I used to tense my muscles in response to that stress so that my back, neck and shoulders were a mess. But the psalmist teaches us that we do not have to live with and tolerate anxiety and worry. We have a father who can dispel that anxiety and replace it with joy and delight. Is that hard to imagine? Think of one of your worse days. Do you remember how intense the worry and stress were? See yourself in your mind’s eye. Can you see the stress in your face and reflected in your body? Now change that image. See an angel of the Lord enter the room and watch your countenance change. Watch as all of your worry dissipates and you are left with the precious peace of Jesus. What does your face look like now? Has your body relaxed?

This is the way you are meant to live. When Jesus was about to leave earth he told his followers that he was going to leave his peace here. He gave us his own peace. We, much more than the psalmist, have every reason to live in peace and comfort. God’s consolations are with us at all times in the person of Jesus Christ. Even in the old days, though, before Jesus came, God consoled His people. He was the great comforter and He has not changed. Now you have God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit to comfort and console you so that you never have to live with another anxious thought the rest of your life. Grab hold of this truth and do not let it escape you. Keep it before your eyes and in the midst of your heart because as sure as the sun comes up tomorrow there will be another opportunity for you to entertain anxious thoughts. When they come just speak right out loud to the Father of Glory and tell Him that you are giving all your anxiety and care to Him and you receive in its place the peace of Jesus. Really, God’s shoulders are a lot broader than yours and mine. He can handle our tense and worrisome situations. Rest in the peace of Jesus. Claim it and make it your own.

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