The welcomed sun shines brightly on this spring day in Alaska but inside I am sad. I know this feeling all too well. That old familiar ache in my heart that has returned in recent weeks. I wish it would go away. Why do I have to struggle with depression?
Jim says this time of year in Alaska is always my hardest. I am grateful for a husband who is in tune to my patterns, maybe even more in tune than I am.
I find myself crying too much these days. I am drawn to my Bible more than usual and in the past few days I parked at the end of Psalms. Chapters 145-147 are comforting.
In them I read,
The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. Ps.145:13b
That got me to thinking, “What are all of God’s promises?” I am familiar with some, but not all of them. It says that He is faithful to ALL of them.
Just in these three chapters of Psalms alone, a few stick out and dare me to believe them. Like this one:
The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. Ps.145:14
Are you bowed down with care today like I am? We will be lifted up.
Does God feel far off? Distant? Do your longings seem unnoticed by Him? Call out to him and tell him what is truly in your heart. He is near! He will satisfy our desires.
“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”
Why? Because the Lord is faithful to His promises and loving toward all He has made.
Do you feel like no one understands?
Last night I sat on the floor of my bedroom after crying my eyes out (you know, the ugly cry that leaves you looking like a mess) and wished someone understood this pain. I was reminded of the promise that I had just read in the past day,
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Ps.147:5
He is not just a friend with some understanding; He understands it all. He understands perfectly what has brought me, what has brought you to this place. He sees every physical reason, every emotional wound, every spiritual hindrance. When He looks at you, He sees it all. When He sees me on my bedroom floor, face covered in tears, He knows more than I do what brought me there. He knows every story, every detail leading up to this moment.
And His eyes are full of compassion, full of love.
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. Ps.145:9
One step in front of the other, dear one. It’s hell sometimes…but there is hope to keep going.
The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.
What promises from Scripture has God used to keep you going? I’d love to hear them.