Source Ministries International

THE WORD:  “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted in me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.  . . . Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”  Psalm 42:5,11

THE POINT:  It seems like everywhere we turn, there’s always something, something of the negative sort, that is. Life, or at least what we call life, can get very depressing. In fact, it often does. After all, most of us are only existing and not truly living. But wait a minute. You may wonder, “Why do these negative things cause us to be depressed?” That is a good question. Even King David asked, “Why are you cast down, O my soul?” We need to stop and do a brief self-examination whenever we begin to feel downcast.

Self-talk is just the ticket, but only if you have the right perspective. Talking to oneself can only be beneficial when it’s done with a biblical frame of reference. “Hey, what’s the matter with my soul? What’s got you feeling so sad and depressed? What’s bothering you?” Obviously, something has unsettled or disquieted your soul.

So, what can be done to rectify your dilemma? You need to understand the problem and focus on the solution. As long as you live on planet Earth, there will always be something negative. Let’s face it, stuff happens: negative stuff, bad stuff, really yucky stuff. We live in a fallen world, filled with weak, frail, sinful humans. This old world is falling apart—no help there. And people, well, they will eventually fail you too—no help there either.

THE APPLICATION:  If you look at things from the human perspective, you have good reason to be downcast; you are helpless and hopeless. All humans, regardless of how educated, prosperous, or competent they may be, are still limited. They can only do so much. We do not possess what is necessary to live life and overcome the enormous problems we encounter. Nevertheless, there’s always more than meets the eye. So, get your eyes off the problems and onto The Solution. God alone (the only true and living God) can solve your problems and meet your needs.

Only the Creator God is the solution for your life. Therefore, you need to focus on God and His Word! The Lord God Almighty is your only hope and your only help. To ensure that you were properly protected, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to Earth to die for you so that He might give His life to you. Once you receive Christ, He comes to live in you to supply all your needs.

King David made a personal connection with God when he said, “I shall yet praise Him…  who is the health of MY countenance and MY GOD.” David shifted his focus from God can to God will. Why? David recognized that God—the Creator and Ruler of all things—was his God. Furthermore, as his God, God was also David’s health. David acknowledged the Lord as the source and solution for his problems.

So, praising God in his time of crisis was the natural response for David. Praise is that jubilant acknowledgment of God’s supremacy over all things. King David was determined to walk by faith, not by sight. Praising God in the midst of his problem was indicative of David’s faith in the Lord God Almighty and his confidence that God would supply his needs.

If you walk by your limited human eyesight, you’ll always be downcast. But if you walk by faith in the Lord, God’s presence will always sustain you. When you focus on the Lord God Almighty, then He will fix you (inwardly and outwardly). As you concentrate on Him, He will meet your needs, and more importantly, give you a vibrant, radiant expression in both your soul and body. Now, that’s a healthy outlook on life. In fact, that’s LIFE . . . life more abundantly!

THE PRAYER:  “Oh God, the circumstances of my life can at times become very depressing. But then I turn my attention away from all that, and look to You, Lord Jesus. My hope is in You, Lord! Therefore, I will continue to praise You despite all my depressing circumstances, thoughts, and feelings. You, Lord, are my health, my strength, and my joy! Praise You, Lord, for Your abiding presence that sustains me!”

Have a great week,

 
Dr. Lewis & Lue Gregory

Believe it, receive it, print it, post it.
Most of all, live it!
This is really good news, so please pass it on.

P.S.  THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING – It seems like there’s always something negative, which can be quite disturbing. However, if you respond God’s way, you will find that there’s always something positive —God’s counterpart to the negative. And that can bring peace, despite the negative circumstances. Discover how to respond to the negative circumstances in your life. Isaiah 26:3-4

LISTEN: There’s Always Something  https://www.sourceministries.net/go/2012/03/theres-always-something/

Dr. Lewis Gregory © 2026