David and His Downcast Soul
What do we do when we don’t “feel” God?
It’s a question I so often want to know the answer to, yet am too scared to ask. Maybe out of pride or maybe because I’m scared I’m the only one who doesn’t always feel Him. Then… I feel guilty. I hear lies like, “Josey, if your faith was strong and your trust deep it wouldn’t be an issue.” Lies, it has nothing to do with my spiritual performance. Of course, I beg the Lord for a deeper trust and greater faith but I think I most often make the mistake when I choose to believe that feeling God will manifest after these two things are “better.” More lies. I sometimes think that I don’t feel God because I don’t trust him. Maybe this is true sometimes. But I don’t think it always is. In Psalm 42 David trusts deeply even when his soul is “downcast.” He cries out, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” David’s soul was in turmoil. Sounds drastic for you and me, but what about the days when your soul simply doesn’t “feel” satisfied, when you long for the times when your spirit is infatuated with Christ and you want to shout it from the rooftops all day long? Reality is, well, this feeling isn’t reality every single day. At least not for me, although I deeply wish it was. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is for many Christians. Wanna know why? (at least my layman’s opinion) The fall, our earth is groaning for Christ, for redemption, but also because we must suffer with Christ in order that we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8: something…). Simply, this is not our home and it causes a wandering of our souls daily, and if you’re me, hourly. So, what do we do as Christians with the Holy Spirit, who don't "feel" the Spirit?
What do I do when my soul is downcast?
What do I do when I pray desperately, read my bible, go to church, etc. and I somehow don’t feel God?
What do I do when I am “doing” all the “right” things, but don’t feel it?
David says, HOPE IN GOD. Hope in Him. Again praise Him. After all, I didn’t do anything to receive life in my death. So why should I expect to feel better when I do better?
I hate that I diminish my God to a mere feeling. He is much greater regardless of my fleshly response. Fact is, when I don’t feel Him, He is still there. Therefore, I must HOPE IN GOD. David begged his soul to hope in God. Romans 8:23-24 says, “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” We must hope in God, based on what we do not see. Our hope is completed redemption on the day of Christ. Our hope is eternity with Christ. Our hope is an undefiled, unfading inheritance. And that last part? Wait “eagerly” with “perseverance.” Press on my friends, when you don’t feel Him, when your soul is cast down, put your hope in Him who is committed to finish the work he has started in you. Press on, hoping in the one who is faithful. Press on. Don’t let your feeling, or not feeling God, master your movements. Hope in Him.
I’m a firm believer in the realistic, the practical, in being real. So let me be real: I’m bad at this. Easier said than done right? “You don’t feel Him? Well He is there so hope in Him.” Cool, thanks, Josey. Sometimes talking like this in third person is helpful, sometimes not so much. Simply enough, in the last week, I’ve realized my hoping in Him is consistently showered by His grace. When I stray… grace, when I forget Him… grace, when I don’t forget and don’t stray… grace, because even that needs grace in its imperfection. My best, needs His grace. I’m not exactly sure where I’m going with this but Ill wrap up by saying this: Hope in God when you don’t feel God. Feelings are quickly passing, but truth that there is hope, stands firm. Rely on the firm, not the passing.
It’s a question I so often want to know the answer to, yet am too scared to ask. Maybe out of pride or maybe because I’m scared I’m the only one who doesn’t always feel Him. Then… I feel guilty. I hear lies like, “Josey, if your faith was strong and your trust deep it wouldn’t be an issue.” Lies, it has nothing to do with my spiritual performance. Of course, I beg the Lord for a deeper trust and greater faith but I think I most often make the mistake when I choose to believe that feeling God will manifest after these two things are “better.” More lies. I sometimes think that I don’t feel God because I don’t trust him. Maybe this is true sometimes. But I don’t think it always is. In Psalm 42 David trusts deeply even when his soul is “downcast.” He cries out, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” David’s soul was in turmoil. Sounds drastic for you and me, but what about the days when your soul simply doesn’t “feel” satisfied, when you long for the times when your spirit is infatuated with Christ and you want to shout it from the rooftops all day long? Reality is, well, this feeling isn’t reality every single day. At least not for me, although I deeply wish it was. Unfortunately, I don’t think it is for many Christians. Wanna know why? (at least my layman’s opinion) The fall, our earth is groaning for Christ, for redemption, but also because we must suffer with Christ in order that we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8: something…). Simply, this is not our home and it causes a wandering of our souls daily, and if you’re me, hourly. So, what do we do as Christians with the Holy Spirit, who don't "feel" the Spirit?
What do I do when my soul is downcast?
What do I do when I pray desperately, read my bible, go to church, etc. and I somehow don’t feel God?
What do I do when I am “doing” all the “right” things, but don’t feel it?
David says, HOPE IN GOD. Hope in Him. Again praise Him. After all, I didn’t do anything to receive life in my death. So why should I expect to feel better when I do better?
I hate that I diminish my God to a mere feeling. He is much greater regardless of my fleshly response. Fact is, when I don’t feel Him, He is still there. Therefore, I must HOPE IN GOD. David begged his soul to hope in God. Romans 8:23-24 says, “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” We must hope in God, based on what we do not see. Our hope is completed redemption on the day of Christ. Our hope is eternity with Christ. Our hope is an undefiled, unfading inheritance. And that last part? Wait “eagerly” with “perseverance.” Press on my friends, when you don’t feel Him, when your soul is cast down, put your hope in Him who is committed to finish the work he has started in you. Press on, hoping in the one who is faithful. Press on. Don’t let your feeling, or not feeling God, master your movements. Hope in Him.
I’m a firm believer in the realistic, the practical, in being real. So let me be real: I’m bad at this. Easier said than done right? “You don’t feel Him? Well He is there so hope in Him.” Cool, thanks, Josey. Sometimes talking like this in third person is helpful, sometimes not so much. Simply enough, in the last week, I’ve realized my hoping in Him is consistently showered by His grace. When I stray… grace, when I forget Him… grace, when I don’t forget and don’t stray… grace, because even that needs grace in its imperfection. My best, needs His grace. I’m not exactly sure where I’m going with this but Ill wrap up by saying this: Hope in God when you don’t feel God. Feelings are quickly passing, but truth that there is hope, stands firm. Rely on the firm, not the passing.
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