Dealing with Discouragement - Part 4

DAILY BYTE

The second way that Ps 23 helps us through moments of discouragement is that it calls us to remember that God is good. That God is good, kind and loving.

Philip Yancey when writing on the Psalms, once remarked that 70% of them are lamentations. What he means by this is that they are gritty and real – they speak of human doubts, fears, disappointments and even anger with God. Yet their other remarkable feature is that they almost always at the same time affirm the goodness of God. It is like they hold those two apparently contradicting truths in tension: life can be disheartening and tough BUT God is good.

Life is tough BUT God is good.

Ps 23 reminds us that although there are valleys and shadows in life, God is still wonderfully kind and loving. The Psalm is filled with some beautifully tender images that vividly remind us of this goodness. I would like to bring just a few of these images to your attention.

The first such image is where the Psalm affirms that God will ‘lead us to quiet waters’. Did you know that sheep are afraid of loud noises and so shepherds always seek out quiet pools of water for them to drink from? This is an image of God taking us to a place where we feel safe and unthreatened. God calls us to come out of the chaos that life can sometimes become to remind us that there is more to us than just smoke and noise. God cares enough about us to seek out the quiet waters for us – places that will restore our souls and remind us of our true purpose.

The second image I would like to emphasise is that of the rod and staff being used to comfort us. Anyone who grew up in an era when corporal punishment was still legal would certainly not find the image of a rod to be comforting at all! However, what is important for us to know is that ancient Eastern shepherds never used the staff and rod to beat the sheep but rather to protect them from predators. Furthermore, when sheep were climbing dangerous mountain paths, the shepherd would use the staff to prod their haunches to keep them from straying too close to dangerous edges. This image is one of a God who cares for us daily in such a way as to protect us from danger and to carefully guide our lives through difficult situations.

Let these two images remind you of what it is quite easy to forget when we go through discouraging times – that God is not just good but God is exceedingly good; and that God does not just love us but God loves us absolutely!

When we go through tough times it is easy to feel that God is far away but Ps 23 reminds us that is JUST a feeling, and we can’t always trust our feelings. For the truth of the matter is that God is close to us ALWAYS, God is good ALWAYS and God loves us ALWAYS!

PRAY AS YOU GO

Loving God, help me remember, even in the midst of tough and discouraging times, that your love for me never fades. Help me to remember that you are always there to guide and protect me. In Jesus name. Amen.

FOCUS READING

Psalm 23:3-4

God restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.