There are some people who encourage your heart every time you are near them. I am blessed to have a number of friends who do that for me. Dr. Rob and his wife always bring a ray of sunshine into my life when I see them. Other people bring the opposite effect when they come into the room. Another friend of mine described a woman we knew a long time ago, as a “black cloud” coming into the room. Which one describes you? What do people say about you when you enter the room?
I discovered that if I depend upon other people for my joy, I am going to be disappointed often. If I determine my joy on how other people treat me, I am going to be living under that “black cloud” more often than I would like. Today I want to direct your attention to some words that King David wrote while he was running for his life. He happened to be running from his own son, Absalom. Absalom wanted to kill his own father and take over the reigns of the kingdom of Israel. I would say that this was quite a challenging time for David. If he was dependent upon others, he might have just given up and died.
He did not do that but wrote the following words: “Many there be which say of my soul, ‘There is not help for him in God.’ Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah” (Psalm 3:2-4). I absolutely love these verses! When I am feeling down and discouraged, I turn to this chapter and read these verses. When it seems that there is no help coming from anyone nearby, I am content to know that the Lord is the “lifter up of mine head.”
Depending on people will help sometimes, but if those people you depend upon are hurting, they may not be able to offer much help. Depending on God for help will always be a good thing. Our God has no limitations! He has not times of weakness! There is nothing that He cannot understand. There will never be a question that He will not know the answer. There will never be a trial or challenge that comes to His children that He will not know about or offer help through. What an incredible God. When your head is hanging low due to the pressures of this life, turn to your Heavenly Father. He is ready and able to hold you up in difficult times. When you turn to God, the “black cloud” disappears and He offers all the answers you will need. When you don’t understand what’s happening, trust your great God!