Things for which to pray. (See also the previous article about the Praying Hand.) For the beginner, making a prayer list could seem to be difficult. But by both instruction and example, the Bible gives us much help in finding subjects for prayer. A few of these are listed below. You will be able to think of more, but this is a good beginning. For ourselves or for others we can pray for:
A deeper personal fellowship with the Lord (Ps. 27:4, 8; 42:1)
The Lord’s guidance and direction (Ps. 25:4-5; Jas. 1:5)
Special help in times of need (Heb. 4:16)
Boldness in witnessing for Christ (Acts 4:29)
Bodily healing, within the will of God (Lk. 5:12)
The spiritual needs of other believers (Eph. 6:18; Col. 1:9-11)
Servants of Christ facing oppression and persecution (Acts 12:5; Col. 4:3; II Thess. 3:1-2)
Ministries needing more workers (Matt. 9:38)
Family members (Job 1:5)
The salvation of others (Rom. 10:1)
Enemies and those who offend us (Matt. 5:44)
Those in positions of authority (I Tim. 2:1-2)
The accomplishment of God’s great purposes (Matt. 6:10)
The glory of God in all things (I Cor. 10:31; cf. Rom. 11:36)
These are some significant things for which to pray which are always in season and appropriate. May the Lord help us to be more consistent in prayer.
Praying hand? What is that? Well, did you ever want a simple pattern for prayer requests that would help you to remember who and what to pray for? There is a little memory aid using the five fingers of one hand as a guide to what to pray for. You can teach it to others in a few minutes. Each finger becomes a reminder of a certain group that needs our prayers.
The Thumb. When the hands are held palm to palm, in the traditional praying position, the thumb is nearest to you, so begin by praying for those closest to you–family, friends, and perhaps work associates. Prayer for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, “a sweet duty.”
The First Finger. This is the pointing finger. Pray for those who are serving the Lord and pointing others to Him. This includes pastors and other church workers, missionaries, Bible school staff, and those who serve in other Christian ministries.
The Second Finger. This is the tallest finger. It reminds us to pray for those in leadership and in authority over us. Pray for national, provincial (or state) and local governments. Pray that God will give them the wisdom and courage to uphold what is just and true.
The Third Finger. Surprising to many, this is the weakest finger of all (as a piano teacher can tell you). It should remind us to pray for those who are sick and suffering, those who carry heavy burdens, those who are sorrowing, and so on.
The Fourth Finger. This is the smallest finger, reminding us of where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. By the time we have prayed for those in the first four categories we will have a better perspective on our own needs and can pray for them.
The praying hand is a simple way to help us to be more consistent in remembering to pray for the needs of others as well as for ourselves.
Question: Patty asks, “If God knows the outcome of everything, then why pray?”
Answer: Thanks for the question. It’s a good one. And it certainly has practical relevance in our lives.
Yes, God is what theologians call omniscient, meaning He possesses all knowledge. He not only knows all about the past, but all about the future as well. “His understanding is infinite” (Ps. 147:5), meaning without limit. He says, “I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done” (Isa. 46:9-10). “Known to God from eternity are all His works” (Acts 15:18). He is fully aware of both the physical and the spirit realm. He knows all about angels and about human beings–even what we are thinking, feeling and planning (Ps. 139:1-4; Heb. 4:13; I Jn. 3:20).
That being so, what is the point of prayer? We can’t tell the Lord anything He doesn’t know already–and know more accurately and fully than we do. Why bother? Here are a few reasons that come to mind:
1) We should pray because God commands us to in His Word.
Christ instructed His followers on the subject by giving them a model prayer–and He begins this by saying, “In this manner, therefore, pray [a command]” (Matt. 6:9-13). “Men always ought to pray” (Lk. 18:1). We are to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let [our] requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).
And we are to “pray without ceasing” (I Thess. 5:17). The latter verse does not mean we are to do nothing but pray, 24/7. Rather, it speaks of persistent prayer, not giving up on praying. A similar expression was used in Paul’s day of a chronic cough, one that just wouldn’t go away. We are to foster the consistent habit of prayer.
Whether we fully understand how prayer works or not, that’s not the point.These verses and others show that God calls on His people to pray and keep praying. Therefore, the other side of the coin is that if we don’t pray we are guilty of sinful disobedience.
2) We should pray because the Lord Jesus sets us an example of prayer, an example followed by His followers and the early church.
Christ came to be our Saviour. But He also lived among us, as perfect Man, giving us an example to follow (Jn. 13:15; I Pet. 2:21; cf. I Cor. 11:1). Part of this example is the prayer life of the Lord, mentioned all through the Gospels (Matt. 26:39, 44; Mk. 1:35; 6:46; Lk. 5:16; 6:12, etc.). After His ascension, we see believers consistently at prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 4:23-31; 6:4; 13:1-3, etc.). Is there any valid reason not to follow these examples? I think not.
3) We should pray because the Lord longs to fellowship with us.
This is a mind-boggling concept: That Almighty God, the Maker and Ruler of all, desires our companionship. In fact, I believe He made us in His image for that purpose (among others). Genesis 3:8 implies that God revealed His presence in the garden of Eden to fellowship with Adam and Eve. And the Lord Jesus expresses the desire “that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:3; cf. 17:24).
When we worship the Lord, and express our love and our willingness to serve Him, it is true that we are not telling Him anything new. But He delights to hear it, all the same. To use a human example, a husband might argue that his wife already knows he loves her because he said so years ago, when they got married. And yes, she may know this. But it also warms her heart to hear it repeated again and again.
4) We should pray because God delights to be reminded of His promises.
This is a slightly different aspect of #3, related to praying on the basis of God’s promises. We must never think that God is irritated when we come to Him in prayer and remind Him of what He has promised to do. He does not view us as being like a nagging wife, pestering her husband to fix a dripping faucet! Rather, He sees such prayers as a longing to see His will accomplished. We are adding our “Amen” (So be it!) to His promises.
After the Lord made a covenant with David regarding his descendants having a right to the throne of Israel forever (the Davidic Covenant) David prayed, “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken…establish it forever and do as you have said….For You…have revealed this….Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer” (II Sam. 7:25, 27).
In his quaint way, Charles Spurgeon urges us to, “Draw the word of promise out of its scabbard, and use it with holy violence. Think not that God will be troubled by your reminding Him persistently of His promise….The sun is not wearing of shining, or the fountain with flowing. It is God’s nature to keep His promises.”
5) We should pray, because God is graciously willing to act in answer to prayer.
In some way that the Bible doesn’t explain (and which we wouldn’t likely understand if it did!) our desires and prayers operate within the sovereign purpose of God (I Jn. 5:14). He never loses control of things, and yet He has pledged to work through the prayers of His people. He wants to involve us in the process (Ps. 84:11; Matt. 7:7-8). In the words of hymn writer John Newton: “Thou art coming to a King, / Large petitions with thee bring; / For His grace and power are such, / None can ever ask too much.”
When we pray, we bring our life situations into the presence of God, exposing them to His scrutiny. King Hezekiah did this when he received a letter demanding the surrender of Jerusalem to a heathen king. He spread the letter out before the Lord, calling on Him to act (II Kgs. 19:14-19). In this respect, prayer is an expression of humility. It recognizes our own inadequacy and seeks the direction and enablement God can give (cf. II Chron. 20:3-9, 12). On the other hand, prayerlessness can be seen as arrogant pride and sinful independence.
The throne of grace is available and the Lord has promised mercy and grace to help those who come and express their need (Heb. 4:14-16). God’s Word says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas. 5:16). What a privilege we have! What a resource for good! How foolish to fail to avail ourselves of it! Yet it happens. And a failure to pray means we may fail to get some blessings we otherwise could have had. “You do not have because you do not ask” (Jas. 4:2; cf. Matt. 7:11).
6) We should pray because our own weakness and waywardness needs to be recognized and dealt with before God.
Prayer is not just asking for things. There are also prayers of worship and praise, prayers of thanksgiving, and prayers of confession of sin. Let’s take thanksgiving first. We are to pray with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6; cf. I Thess. 5:17-18). Why? Well, for one thing, it is a recognition of where our blessings come from. The heathen have no such perception and are therefore unthankful (Rom. 1:21; II Tim. 3:2).
But I think there is another purpose in thankgiving too. Bathing our requests in thanksgiving (cf. Phil. 4:6) is an act of faith. It recognizes that however God answers, it will be for the best, and we can thank Him in advance for this.
With regard to confession, we are to admit our sins to God in order that free and unhindered fellowship with Him be restored (I Jn. 1:9). To “confess” means literally to agree. And when we agree with God about our sin (and therefore forsake it), we are delivered of a painful burden (Ps. 32:1-5). A restoration of the joy of our salvation, and renewed power in service result from confessing our sins before a holy God (Ps. 51:1-4, 12-13).
7) We should pray because others are depending on us to do so.
Prayer is not simply a recitation of selfish “gimmes.” We can positively affect the lives of others through prayer. We have an amazing example of this in Abraham’s prayer for his nephew Lot’s family living in wicked Sodom, a city which God was about to destroy. It is an audacious prayer. Abraham, in effect, bargains with God, the way he would bargain over household goods in the marketplace. Even more amazing, the Lord stoops humbly and graciously to work within the limits of Abraham’s supplication (Gen. 18:23-33).
Also, prayer is a way of participating in the ministry of others all over the world. The servants of Christ around the globe are doing His work, facing challenges and obstacles along the way. God is willing to equip and empower them, and meet their needs, as His people pray. They also face an implacable spiritual enemy, and we must pray for their protection against the devil and his demon host (Eph. 6:10-12).
The Apostle Paul understood that, and asked the readers of his letters to pray for him and his coworkers (Eph. 6:18-20; I Thess. 5:25; II Thess. 3:1; Heb. 13:18). We are also to pray for our national leaders so that the gospel can continue to be shared freely in our land (I Tim. 2:1-4). To fail to pray means we are letting others down.
Why pray? I’m sure there are other reasons to pray which could be discussed, but there are several for your consideration.
In His Steps might better be entitled False Steps! The philosophy behind it is not in keeping with the teachings of the Scriptures But with over 30 million copies sold, the 1896 novel, by Charles Monroe Sheldon (1857-1946), ranks among the best-sellers of all time. This article will make no attempt to analyze the characters and incidents described in the book. Rather, it will deal with the underlying theories it presents.
Charles Sheldon was a Congregational clergyman who became a leader in the Social Gospel movement. He preached a series of sermons with the overall theme “What Would Jesus Do?” applying his understanding of the life of Christ to decision-making today. These messages eventually evolved into a fictional account of what happened to some people who made it their aim to live that way. (The full title of the novel was originally In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?)
The Social Gospel
The social gospel teaches we should apply what it sees as Christian principles to modern social ills. Its focus is not on personal salvation through faith in the shed blood of Christ, but rather on moral living, by which it is expected that society as a whole will be transformed. But is that a proper approach?
Generally, the movement and its adherents have been liberal in theology, unconcerned with such crucial fundamentals as the verbal inspiration of Scripture, the deity, virgin birth, and substitutionary atonement of Christ, and salvation by grace through faith and apart from works. It mainly views Jesus’ earthly life as a pattern of good deeds, and an example to follow. (Even Christ’s death on the cross is reduced to this.)
And overwhelmingly, the social gospelites have been post-millennial in theology. That is, they see it as the calling of Christians to bring in an earthly golden age. They see it as the responsibility of the church to transform society, until the world becomes a fit kingdom for Christ to rule over. It is important to understand this background to the novel, and appreciate its philosophical roots.
The Key Text
Following “in His steps” was for Reverend Sheldon a matter of copying Jesus’ moral example. The phrase that became the title of the book is taken from Scripture (from First Peter), but it does not have exactly the significance the author makes it have. The theme of Peter’s first epistle is suffering for the cause of Christ. That is the context in which the apostle writes:
“When you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth;’ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (I Pet. 2:20-23).
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter is exhorting believers to be willing to suffer, if necessary, live for Christ, and defend and do the right. (And, indeed, we are to expect to suffer, cf. II Tim. 3:12.) The words of Peter are about personal sacrifice, not about transforming society. He is speaking about a patient, Christ-like response to wrongs inflicted by those who reject Him, and who determine to oppose and oppress His followers. This attitude is akin to what Paul describes to the Roman Christians:
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:17-21).
The Essential of the New Birth
Only a regenerate heart has either the sensitivity or the power available to discern an answer to questions of conduct and to act upon them. And not all who claim to be followers of Jesus are born again Christians. This is a major flaw in Sheldon’s approach. He makes no mention of the necessity of the new birth through faith in Christ. But that is where it has to begin. We “must be born again” through personal faith in Him (Jn. 3:7; cf. 1:12-13). It is only the one reborn spiritually, and indwelt by the Spirit of God, who is able to truly and consistently follow the Lord (Rom. 8:9, 14; cf. II Cor. 2:14).
To suggest otherwise is to espouse a heretical doctrine called Pelagianism, named for Pelagius (circa 354-420) the man who proposed it. Pelagianism teaches that original sin did not taint human nature, and that the will is still capable of choosing good or evil without God’s help. It says Adam’s basic sin was to set a bad example for his descendants, and the role of Jesus was to set a good example for the rest of humanity (thus counteracting Adam’s bad example). And because humanity does not require God’s grace for salvation, Christ’s death is devoid of the redemptive quality ascribed to it by orthodox theology. It becomes merely an example of self-sacrifice. Pelagianism claims that human beings have full control, and thus full responsibility, for their own salvation. That is a serious error.
Beyond the Life of Christ
If we are thinking of a pattern for conduct, taking “What Would Jesus Do?” as a central guiding principle will only work with certain qualifications, regeneration being the first. Then, we must realize that Christ is “the Word…made flesh” (Jn. 1:1, 14), fully God and fully Man. Some of the things He did had the purpose of establishing and confirming His unique identity. He demonstrated His absolute power and authority over such things as the spirit world, and the natural world, over disease, and over death. No other person is able to say of himself, as He did, “No one takes [My life] from Me….I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (Jn. 10:18). So, not all that the Lord Jesus Christ did is either possible or appropriate for the Christian.
Also, Sheldon’s focus on the three years of Christ’s life and ministry as recorded in the Gospels is far too narrow. Though it may not be as catchy as “W. W. J. D.,” it would be far better for the Christian to broaden the question to: What does the Word of God teach that relates to this situation? What does God want me to do, in dependence on the indwelling Holy Spirit? We need to grow in our knowledge of all that God has said. “All Scripture” is profitable for us (II Tim. 3:16-17). And Christ, as God the Son, can legitimately be considered the Co-Author of the Bible. If it is all the Word of God, it is also all “the Word of Christ” (Col. 3:16; cf. Matt. 24:35).
In addition, it soon becomes apparent that a lot of specifics in modern life are not covered in the Bible (smoking cigarettes, for example). There are also cultural differences to be accounted for. This requires, first of all, the proper interpretation of Scripture (and there is only one correct interpretation), and an appropriate application of it, growing out of that interpretation. We may not, for example, be required to shake the dust off our sandals when departing from someone who has rejected our witness (cf. Mk. 6:11). What we must do is discover and discern practical precepts and principles from the Bible which can be applied in the Christian life today.
We should also keep in mind that many of life’s decisions are mundane, and morally neutral (such as choosing which socks to wear in the morning). God has given us minds to think with, and liberty in such matters. But as we Christians cultivate the mind of Christ, through meditation on, and the habitual application of God’s Word (Rom. 12:1-2; Phil. 2:5), we will develop a sensitivity to those choices that have a moral dimension, and be better able to discern the right course to take (Heb. 5:13-14).
Limitations in the Theory
Living “In His Steps,” on the basis of what we suppose Jesus would do in a given situation has the danger of becoming a subjective hunt for what feels right at the moment. It is all too easy to impose our own ideas and desires, and claim they are Christ’s. There must be a more concrete anchor than that, and it is found in the entire written revelation of God making up the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible. Imagination and wishful thinking are not enough to guide us–especially since “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately [incurably] wicked” (Jer. 17:9), and it will inevitably lead us astray, apart from the gracious working of the Holy Spirit.
Further, the post-millennial premise that the Lord is waiting for believers to christianize society before He will return is fallacious. In the late nineteen century this was a more popular view than it is today. Amazing inventions and other innovations seemed to hold out the prospect of an earthly utopia up ahead. But two World Wars, and the growing moral corruption in western culture do not point in that direction at all. We are certainly to be salt and light in society (Matt. 5:13-16), and stand for what is right. But the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) has nothing to do directly with reforming society. It is about calling individuals to faith in Christ, and teaching them to follow Him. In fact, the Bible’s portrait of the last days before Christ’s return is far different from that of post-millennialism. It sees evil as being rampant and on the increase, with society becoming more polluted, as the time of the second coming approaches (cf. I Tim. 4:1; II Tim. 3:1-5, 13).
The Bottom Line
All of this is not to say that following in the footsteps of Christ is wrong. It is not wrong to seek, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to become more Christ-like (cf. I Cor. 11:1; Eph. 5:1-2). Living according to the pattern presented in the Word of God is certainly a valid goal. Holy living and a faithful witness are expected of the children of God. But human beings are incapable of doing that in a way that is pleasing to God, apart from the new birth and dependence on the transforming work of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25).
And as Christians we cannot be transformed as to all our habits or our entire lifestyle in a day. As believers daily immerse themselves in the Word of God, the Spirit of God wisely and gently will address those things that need to change, one by one. Even then, the Lord recognizes our weakness (Ps. 103:13-14) and we are told what to do when we stumble (I Jn. 1:9). Christian growth takes time (I Pet. 2:2; II Pet. 3:18).
Involvement in the Christian community is a factor in this. Sheldon is right in his emphasis on fellowship as a key element in spiritual growth. His characters gather weekly to testify to decisions made, and the result, to share questions and concerns, and to pray for one another. This is needed. As believers communicate with one another, they are encouraged to keep on in what is right, and to reconsider and turn from what is wrong.
But having said this, Charles Sheldon’s philosophy is unbiblical because rests on a false foundation, and because, even at its best, it is incomplete. In His Steps may make for some interesting reading, but it does not provide sound and solid teaching for Christian living. It is unfortunate that many are still purchasing the book, and espousing its errors.
Truth about suffering is not always easy to come by. Why do human beings suffer? If God is loving and merciful, why does He not act to prevent human pain?
Here is an outlines study you will find helpful in thinking through the Bible’s perspective on human suffering. It contains a dozen basic principles to keep in mind, plus 35 different things God can accomplish through suffering. Not all will fit each situation, but all are part of the legitimate purposes of God. (Even as I typed out this material I thought of other verses which might be used. Add your own, to increase the value of the study.)
Some Basic Principles
All creation was corrupted as a result of man’s first sin (Gen. 1:31; 3:13-19; Rom. 8:22).
Sin brings personal suffering (Prov. 11:19; Jas. 1:15).
Sin can be the indirect cause of suffering (that is, our suffering may not directly relate to our own sins, Jn. 9:1-3).
God is neither unloving nor unjust in allowing suffering (Ezek. 18:32; Gen. 18:25; Heb. 4:15.
God allows trials for our good and blessing (Ps. 33:5; Rom. 8:28).
God is glorified through the sufferings of human beings (Ps. 104:24, 31; Rev. 7:9-17).
God is sovereign over all (Exod. 4:11; Phil. 1:29; I Pet. 4:19).
Human suffering is relative (what is less painful for one, may cause great pain for another, II Cor. 10:12).
The significance of our trials is not always evident (Isa. 55:8-9; Jn. 20:29).
Suggesting benefits of suffering may not comfort or satisfy the sufferer (at least in the short term, Job 12:1-3; 26:14; Rom. 12:15).
Trials are inevitable this side of heaven (Job 5:7; 14:1; Ecc. 2:23; Rom. 8:18; Rev. 21:4).
We study suffering in order to reaffirm the goodness of God (Job 1:21; Mk. 7:37; Rom. 9:13-14).
Some Purposes in Suffering
Here is truth about suffering from the Bible. These can be roughly divided into five categories. Five areas in which God works to teach and train us, five areas of “Truth in our Trials.”
A. Truth About Sin and Satan. Trials can…
Reveal the true character of Satan (II Cor. 11:14; Jn. 8:44; I Pet. 5:8)
Demonstrate the rebellious spirit of the world (I Jn. 5:19; Jn. 15:18-21; I Pet. 3:16)
Be an evidence of personal sin (Num. 32:23; Gal. 6:7)
Be an object lesson teaching the harmfulness of sin (Prov. 6:27-29)
Be a foretaste of eternal torment (II Pet. 3:4-10)
Be a chastening for personal sin (I Cor. 11:28-32; Heb. 12:6-11; Prov. 15:31)
Help to prevent sinning in the future (II Cor. 12:7).
B. Truth About Values and Priorities. Trials can…
Help us to appreciate present blessings (Acts 3:8; Ps. 90:14-15)
Keep us from growing satisfied with this passing world (I Cor. 7:29-31)
Teach us about the cost of redemption (Jn. 15:13; I Cor. 15:3)
Awaken a God-consciousness in our souls (Ps. 107:1-31)
Demonstrate the folly of trying to live independently of God (Rom. 7:18; II Cor. 3:5; 12:9)
Prompt us to count the cost of following Christ (Acts 5:10-13; Heb. 11:25-26)
Stir in us a longing for God and His best (Ps. 42:1-3; Phil. 1:23; Rev. 22:20)
C. Truth About God. Trials can…
Be a reminder of the sovereignty of God (Job 38:4; Rom. 9:18-21; Ecc. 7:14; Ps. 119:75)
Reveal the faithfulness of God (Isa. 59:19; II Cor. 9:12; Rom. 5:3-5)
Provide opportunities for a display of God’s power (Jn. 9:3; 11:4, 15)
Be an evidence of God’s grace and mercy (II Pet. 3:9; Matt. 23:37)
Assure us of God’s unfailing love (Heb. 12:6, 10)
Provide lessons for the angels to the glory of God (Job 1:9; 2:4-5; Eph. 3:10)
Give us a new appreciation of the sufferings of Christ (I Pet. 3:18; Jn. 17:5; also 1:11; 8:29–compare Mk. 15:34; Jn. 10:17-18; Phil. 3:10)
D. Truth About Spiritual Growth. Trials can…
Reveal wrong attitudes and harmful habits (Ps. 32:3-5; I Tim. 4:10, 16)
Prompt us to take the responsibility to change (Ps. 119:71; also see Jonah’s experience)
Provide evidence of the reality of our faith (I Pet. 1:7; Job 13:15)
Awaken us to the practical application of Scripture (Ps. 119:92)
Be God’s instrument to develop in us the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23; Jas. 1:2-4)
Build steadiness and stability of character (I Pet. 5:10)
Be an indicator of commitment to the Lord and of spiritual progress (Acts 5:41; II Tim. 3:12)
E. Truth About Christian Ministry. Trials can…
Make us aware of gifts we never knew we had (poss. as Joseph in bondage and in prison; and Peter called from fishing to forsake all and become a fisher of men, Matt. 4:19-20)
Be a reminder of the unity of the human family (Isa. 53:6; I Cor. 12:26)
Give us opportunities to serve others (Lk. 10:30-37)
Increase the breadth and effectiveness of our ministry (II Cor. 1:3-4; 4:8-12)
Strengthen the bonds of fellowship and love among believers (Acts 4:29, 32-34; Heb. 13:3)
Give us other means and opportunities to glorify God (I Cor. 6:20; 10:31; Phil. 1:20; Heb. 13:15; I Pet. 4:14, 16)
Provide us with an opportunity to earn the sufferer’s crown (I Cor. 3:14; II Cor. 4:17; Jas. 1:12; Rev. 2:10; Matt. 5:10-12)
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Depression cry? A sad psalm written by someone who is depressed? If I am feeling like that myself, why would I want to study it and read about it?
In response, there are a couple of reasons why. First, because you will find here someone with whom you can truly identify. Renowned Brethren Bible teacher J. N. Darby said that at one time Psalm 88 was the only Scripture that had any help for him, because he saw there that someone else had been as low as that before him. The second reason we should consider this psalm is because, although this passage of the Bible is filled with dark shadows, it points the way to the light. It is a message from the Lord for all who have suffered such times.
This is the only psalm attributed to Heman, the Ezrahite (see the inspired heading). Elsewhere we learn that Heman was a singer from the Levitical family of Kohath (I Chron. 6:33; II Chron. 5:12). (First Chronicles 6:16-30 lists Samuel among the Kohathites too.)
Heman has given us, in his psalm, an unbroken wail of distress. It is the saddest and most mournful of all the psalms. Unlike a number of other laments, the gloom is not relieved by any clear expression of hope for the future. Nowhere does it move on to a “But God…” but continues its negative tone to the end. The last word in English translation is “darkness.” The spirit of the psalm, if not the details, surely parallel the agony of the Son of God in the garden of Gethsemane (cf. Matt. 26:37; Mk. 14:33-34; Lk. 22:44).
A list of common words found in the psalm is revealing. There we see forms of the following words: cut off (vs. 5), troubles (vs. 3), afflicted (vs. 7, 9, 15), wrath (vs. 7, 16), dead (vs. 5, 10, 15), darkness (vs. 6, 12, 18), depths (vs. 6), grave (vs. 3, 5, 11), and pit (vs. 4, 6).
Yet this is not a cry of faithless rebellion. The psalmist begins by calling God the “Lord [Jehovah] God of my salvation” (vs. 1). And there is some reference or appeal to God in nearly every verse–either by name, or with the pronouns You and Your (vs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18). In his extreme distress, Heman continues to seek after God, as the One who can explain his pain and bring relief. In his agony he clings to one main thing: that the Lord is the one who saves and delivers.
The psalmist pours out his heart to the Lord. He knows Him, and has a personal relationship with Him. But just now, unbroken trials perplex and dismay him. He is suffering miseries of an undetermined origin and unknown purpose (as Job did). And perhaps an awareness of the inability of the Law of Israel to deliver him from them further troubles him. He had sought to do all that the Law required, yet cannot find peace and comfort. The “Why?” of vs. 14 suggests his frustration.
Nevertheless, this psalm constitutes a remarkable statement of faith. Here is one who has experienced life-threatening illness (vs. 3-4), or some debilitating condition from his youth (vs. 15). Perhaps vs. 1 indicates a problem with insomnia as well. His malady has made him a shut-in many times over the years, also driving those he knows from him (vs. 8, 18). The latter problem could be due to the repellant nature of the condition itself, or to the perception of it as a judgment from God that others are concerned to avoid. Job experienced that kind of abandonment too.
Heman has shed many tears over his condition (vs. 9). Yet he continues to pray to the God of his salvation (vs. 1-2, 9, 13). How many of us would have turned our backs on God in bitterness, long since? Here is a man, like Job, who has remarkable faith, but who appears to be suffering from deep despondency and depression. His unrelenting misery, and his thoughts of death, certainly fit our modern understanding of that painful emotional condition. Because of the unique nature of this psalm, Heman has some things to say to sufferers experiencing that malady.
“Thus greatly may good men be afflicted, and such dismal thoughts may they have about their afflictions, and such dark conclusions may they make about their end, through the power of melancholy and the weakness of faith. He complained most of God’s displeasure. Even the children of God’s love may sometimes think themselves children of wrath, and no outward trouble can be so hard upon them as that” (Matthew Henry).
Now, let us consider the text of the psalm.
Vs. 1-5. O LORD, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave. I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength, adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand.
You are “the God who saves me” (NIV)–the God of my deliverance, the One to whom, therefore, I keep on praying. If there is any hope in the darkness, it is here. And we may be sure that when our hold on God seems to be slipping, He never loses His loving grip on us (cf. Jn. 10:28-29). But even after our lives are anchored in Him, after we have put our faith in Christ and been born again into the family of God, there may well be times when we do not feel the truth of this.
Sometimes, that is caused by unconfessed sin hindering our fellowship with the Lord. But despondency and depression can have many other causes as well–illness, fatigue, conflicted relationships, and so on. It is not necessarily due to a moral or spiritual problem.
Again and again the psalmist identifies himself with death and dying. He is “adrift among the dead.” That is a classic symptom of emotional depression. But it is important, in such a case, to keep before us the fact that God’s relationship with the believer does not fluctuate moment by moment according to how we feel about it! “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (I Jn. 3:20). There are times when we must try to declare it to be true (because it is true) that He is the “God of my salvation,” even when we cannot feel that it is so. Feelings will follow eventually. And the Lord, in His wisdom and compassion, understands that.
Writing about a century ago, Bible expositor F. B. Meyer said something about Psalm 103:13-14 that is relevant here. The passage itself tells us, “As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” Meyer comments, “We chastise ourselves bitterly if we do not understand or reach our ideals. We are ever fearful that He will not give us credit for the motives which underlie our sad and fitful experience. We try to make ourselves more fit for His love. And all the time He is tenderly regarding us, and knows so well how much of our failure accrues from temperament, and disposition, and overstrain.” That is well said, and worth pondering.
Vs. 6-12. You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah. You have put away my acquaintances far from me; You have made me an abomination to them; I am shut up, and I cannot get out. My eye wastes away because of affliction. LORD, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah. Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
Those he knew before, “loved one and friend” (vs. 18), have now deserted him. As noted earlier, this, and indeed much of the psalm, reflects a very Job-like experience (cf. Job 2:7-8; 19:13-19). Severe trials have their own special loneliness. Even apart from the spiritual dimension, “friends” that flock around a winner to bask in his glory, and enjoy the material benefits of his achievements, are often quick to desert him, or turn against him, when good fortune seems to depart.
But more than that, where is God? When trials seem to have no end, no explanation, and no remedy, when the godly one prays and the Lord seems unresponsive, that brings the ultimate loneliness. There is a temptation to see God as uncaring or impotent (vs. 4-5, 14). Times when God is silent, and seems so distant are surely, for His child, the worst thing of all. Compare the experience of the Lord Jesus (Jn. 6:66; Matt. 26:56; 27:46). That Christ in the days of His earthly life experienced these things is a great reassurance to us. When we pray, He represents us before the throne of God as our great High Priest, fully able to sympathize with us in our weakness (Heb. 4:14-16).
The hymn writer reminds us, “What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! / What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! / O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, / All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. / Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? / Precious Saviour, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer. / Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer! / In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there” (“What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” by Joseph Medlicott Scriven, 1885).
There are strong negative statements in the psalm about death. Heman speaks of, “the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand [i.e. from God’s blessing and help]” (vs. 5). “Will You do wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah [a word possibly meaning, Think of that!].” Heman goes on, “Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (vs. 10-12). The implied answer to each of these questions is “No.” At least, that is how he felt about it at the time.
This view of death seems at odds with what the Bible has to say about eternal life, and the blessings believers have in store in the future, in the presence of God. But there is no contradiction once we understand the temporal viewpoint of much of the Old Testament.
As an Israelite, Heman looks upon death as the end of earthly blessing for God’s earthly people Israel. It was also the end of their opportunity to praise the Lord as His earthly witnesses. This view does not negate the Bible’s teaching on life after death. It is simply speaking of the blessing of God in terms of that which the living can see and experience.
Though there is not, in the Old Testament, a full revelation of the subject of heaven and hell, nonetheless these concepts were not entirely ignored (cf. Ps. 16:9-11; 23:6; 49:15). It is just that the afterlife was not seen as the main venue in which God’s great covenants with Israel (to Abraham and David, for example) were expected to work themselves out.
Vs. 13-18. But to You I have cried out, O LORD, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. LORD, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; they engulfed me altogether. Loved one and friend You have put far from me, and my acquaintances into darkness.
Darkness. It runs through the psalm like a moaning refrain (cf. vs. 6, 12). If you have never been as low as this man, praise the Lord for that! But realize that many, many great saints of God have struggled with emotional depression. Charles Haddon Spurgeon did. The “Prince of Preachers,” author of dozens of books, suffered periods of great anxiety and black despair. He admitted, “The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.” And he wasn’t.
It is unfortunate that some have sold an unrealistic picture of the gospel (i.e. “Come to Jesus and your troubles will be over.”) In truth, the Christian life is not going to be one long unbroken path of happiness and good cheer. There will be times of great sorrow and sadness, and of trial and painful struggle. And some, though not all, suffer from a severe emotional depression the cause of which may not be immediately apparent. Being positive and upbeat when we feel otherwise inside is hypocrisy. Rather than putting on an empty smile before others and playing “let’s pretend,” we need to be real, and authentic.
Certainly, not everyone will be ready to listen to our catalogue of woes, but it is wonderful to find at least one friend who will. If this psalm rings true to your own experience, take heart. The Lord has put it in the Bible so you will know He understands, even when no one else does. But He put only one psalm like it in the Scriptures to remind us that there is light beyond the clouds. The sun continues to shine, even though it is hidden from view.
This psalm is, in fact, surrounded by joyful singing (cf. Ps. 87:7; 89:1). But in our weakness, we may have times when no song seems to come, and the singing of others grates upon us painfully. The psalm is a reminder in such times that we are not alone. While many do not understand, and may feed us trite platitudes, or condemn our weak faith, there are people who know by experience what we are going through. And the God of our salvation will not forsake us. Again, “if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart” (I Jn. 3:20). Whatever our trial, however dark the way, “God is greater.”
Sometimes within the span of this earthly life, but certainly in eternity, we will have a far better understanding of the ways of God, and the reasons He has allowed suffering in our lives. As Jesus said to His disciples one day, “What I am doing you do not understand now; but you will know after this” (Jn. 13:7; cf. Jas. 5:11). And the Apostle Paul understood that. He says, “Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as also I am known” (I Cor. 13:12).
To those who know someone going through this kind of darkness, let me say a few words. Do not be too quick to think you understand all about it, and the reasons for it. The answer to the “Why?” question (vs. 14) may not be as simple as you think. And do not be quick to condemn the words of the desperate (cf. Job 6:26). Sometimes words are not a reasoned creed, but simply a cry of pain and an appeal for help. Those suffering from depression cry out for understanding. Pious as it sounds, “Just read your Bible and pray” may not be the immediate need. And “all things work together for good,” while it is true theologically, may not be a comfort in that moment.
Stand by the sufferer, and be a good listener. Avoid preaching at him or her. Do you know the old saying, “When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on”? Well, it could be the depressed person is in a state where it is very difficult to hang on. That person needs a faithful friend who will hang on for him or her! Will you be such a friend?
There we see what the heading calls Depression Cry. For more ideas on the related problem of discouragement, see Dealing with Discouragement.
Dealing with discouragement is a subject we need to know something about. It is a fairly common malady. And, in spite of the resources God makes available to us, Christians can become discouraged too. So it is worthwhile taking thought regarding some of its causes and cures. My article this month is a little longer than usual, and maybe what I have to say is not new to you. But we need these reminders–I know I do!
A Definition
If we are looking for a basic definition, it is found in the word itself–dis– couraged, indicating the opposite of, or the absence of courage. The one who feels this way is: less confident, less hopeful, persuaded not to act, or prevented from action by objections or obstacles. We could say a person who is discouraged is one or all of the following:
Disheartened by obstacles, failure, or criticism
Distressed and fearful, lacking courage and confidence
Disillusioned, losing hope for the future
Disinterested, apathetic, lacking initiative
Doubtful about the value of certain actions
Down on himself/herself, with a poor sense of worth
Is that where you find yourself just now? Take heart. There are some practical things you can do to cope with, and even conquer, discouragement. But before we look at them, we need to think about some of the common causes of this condition.
Time is a key element. If a friend promises to visit, and delays for a day, there may be disappointment, but not likely discouragement–unless the promise has been made and broken on a number of occasions, over time. Discouragement only grows as day after day passes and the hoped-for circumstances do not unfold. Delay and deferment of a promise or an expected benefit is at the root of these dejected and dispirited feelings. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred [postponed, dragged out] makes the heart sick, but when desire comes it is a tree of life.” The time factor is expressed in the lament of Jeremiah: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!” (Jer. 9:12).
So, was the Lord Jesus ever discouraged? In response, we must remember that as the God-Man, fully God and fully man, He is unique. As the Son of God, He knows the hearts of all men and what to expect of them (Jn. 2:24-25). Further, as deity, His sovereign purpose will be accomplished in the end (Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 15:18). Discouragement is a word that does not fit Christ precisely.
Nevertheless He experienced a sorrow on earth (Isa. 53:3), very much akin to discouragement, when “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (Jn. 1:11). He grieved over the unbelief of the Jews, saying, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matt. 23:37). Not only that, but those to whom He wanted to show mercy and compassion nailed Him to a cross!
The Bible says, “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12:3). Realizing how much Jesus went through out of love for us helps to keep our own troubles in perspective. And we know that now, as our great High Priest in heaven, Christ is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses, because on earth He was “in all points tempted as we are” (Heb. 4:14-15). Therefore we can come to Him for help in times of discouragement, just as at other times (vs. 16).
Causes of Discouragement
What are some of the experiences and conditions in our lives that precipitate discouragement? Here are a number of problems that are common.
Fatigue from overwork and/or stress, and a depletion of emotional energy (I Kgs. 19:2-8; cf. 18:17-40)
Facing seemingly endless difficulties, or feeling frustration over too much to do (Num. 21:4-5; Neh. 4:10-11)
Loneliness–seeming to be neglected, feeling alone in the struggle, with others not doing to do their share (Num 32:6-7; II Tim. 4:10, 16)
Harsh (or inconsistent) supervision or discipline (Col. 3:21). This applies not only to children in the home, but to difficult relationships adults may have with employers or others in authority.
Past failure (perhaps repeated failures) in particular endeavours
Inexperience and unrealistic idealism (often seen in young people)
Fear of criticism or of failure
Unrealistic expectations of ourselves
Former supports suddenly taken away (health, wealth, friends, position, etc.)
Illness or injury, and the added weakness it brings. (Certain drugs taken at such times can affect our moods as well.)
The attacks of the devil (I Pet. 5:8). “Satan” means adversary, and “devil” means accuser or slanderer. Called the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:9-10), he hurls at us fiery darts of accusation and blame, hoping to discourage us (Eph. 6:16).
Lack of faith in God. It might be rather glib, and even uncaring, to simply say the accused person would be fine if he or she had more faith. Situations can be more complex than that. Nevertheless, this can be a significant factor (Deut. 1:21, 28).
Remedies for Discouragement
So much for some things that can nurture or contribute to discouragement. Now for some good news! There are remedies that can be applied. “Cure” may be too strong a word, as it suggests the malady will never return. But it is at least treatable when it does. Sometimes it is helpful to see a pastor or a doctor, but here are basic things we can do ourselves that can help.
1. Getting better organized.
Whether it concerns our time, or our living space, disorganization and clutter can produce confusion and stress, and ultimately discourage us from fulfilling our duties or tackling the work at hand. Better organization may be the answer. A practical way to ward off discouragement is to create a realistic schedule of work to be done, and also to see that the area around us is as free of chaotic clutter as possible.
An important corollary of this is to live one day at a time (sometimes it’s necessary to live one moment at a time). While it is worthwhile to make some plans for the future (cf. Lk. 14:28-30), none of us knows exactly what the future may bring (Jas. 4:13-15). Focusing on today and trusting God for the grace to deal with what comes our way today is an important aspect of organizing our lives. Being troubled by regret over the failures of yesterday, or fretting anxiously over the unknowns of tomorrow, invariably robs us of the energy to deal with the present. Focus on today.
2. Rest and recreation for body and mind.
If health problems can be at the root of discouragement–and they can–we need to do our best to maintain good health. And if taxing fatigue can make us susceptible to such moods, we need to take time for refreshing breaks. One day, Jesus said to His disciples, “‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat” (Mk. 6:31).
Most of us can endure crisis situations that require long hours and extra energy for a short time. But that should not be the regular or constant thing. We all need a break. Even a “minute vacation” during a busy day can sometimes recharge our batteries. Another thing that is beneficial is laughter. Take time to read a wholesomely humorous book, or watch a funny movie. The Bible says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones” (Prov. 17:22). DVDs are available of some of the old situation comedies–I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, and more. These are usually just wholesome fun, without the immoral overtones of so many of today’s shows.
3. Seeking encouraging friends.
The old song says the prairies are a place “where seldom is heard a discouraging word, / And the skies are not cloudy all day.” Whether or not that is the case, we need to make friends who will accept us as we are, gently pointing us to the Lord, and be a strength and encouragement to us and not bombard us with discouraging words. During the Boer War, a man was actually court-marshalled for comments discouraging the soldiers defending a town. The tribunal judged it to be a crime to speak disheartening words at such a critical time.
When Israel camped on the borders of the Promised Land, they sent in spies to check out the territory. The twelve men returned with a mixed report. Two of them (Caleb and Joshua) encouraged the nation to trust in God, moving forward to conquer the land God was giving them. But the other ten saw only the obstacles and the dangers ahead. The Israelites listened to the majority. They said, “Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven” (Deut. 1:28).
Who needs “friends” with a message like that! The result of this faithless discouragement was that Israel spent another forty years in the wilderness. And none of the men except Caleb and Joshua ever saw the Promised Land. When we are going through difficulties, when we are facing challenges in our lives, we need those who will lift us up, and help us to find new hope. We need friends we can turn to for help and support.
4. Nurturing a positive attitude.
Resisting discouragement is not always easy. In part, it involves a realistic appreciation for our limitations. We must seek to do what we can do, and not anguish over what we cannot. The more positive our attitude, the more we will be willing to try, and try again, even when we fail. Florence Shinn wrote, “Every great work, every big accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision, and often just before the big achievement, comes apparent failure and discouragement” But we are not omnipotent, as God is. And we need to make a distinction between perfection and excellence. We can aim to do our best (excellence), but if we insist on perfection (which is only possible for God), we will be discouraged every time.
Sometimes it is helpful, when we feel discouragement threatening, to set aside what we are doing and take up a job we know, from past experience, that we are good at and comfortable with. When we do some small task that has been rewarding in the past, success will promote positive feelings that can make other challenges easier to face later on.
Another element in having a positive attitude is to discipline our minds to focus on the Lord, and not on our problems. Or to see our problems through God’s eyes, as we meditate on Him and His Word. The words of the prophet Habakkuk reflect this outlook. He says, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no fruit; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls [all things that could discourage one!]– Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation, The Lord God is my strength…” (Hab. 3:17-19).
5. Promoting a wholesome thought life.
Related to the previous point, distressing or depressing reading can have its affect on our moods. So can the nightly News, which at times seems a constant litany of gloom. (We may have to weigh the value of being informed over against the detriment of that constant stream of negativity.) The Bible speaks to this very clearly: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8).
One thing that fits this description (besides the Bible itself, of course) is Christian biographies. We need to be exposed regularly to accounts of courage and determination that conquered obstacles through faith in God, and accomplished great things for Him.
Sometimes achievements come in spite of great handicaps. Many years ago, a young lawyer suffered from such deep depression that he would not even carry a pocket knife, fearful of using it to harm himself. He said, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not.” But he was wrong about that. He not only learned to cope with his bouts of discouragement, he went on to become one of the most lauded presidents of the United States. His name is Abraham Lincoln.
6. Taking the long-range view.
Discouragement tends to focus on the now. But there may be a great deal to be thankful for and be encouraged by in the longer range. Prophesying about the work of the coming Messiah, Isaiah said, “He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth” (Isa. 42:4). “Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2). The sufferings Christ underwent during His time on earth were great, but what encouraged Him was the end result up ahead. That is the principle behind Romans 8:28 too (and see II Cor. 5:1-5).
The Word of God exhorts, “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9). “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58). That is the long range view!
7. Recognizing God’s power revealed in our weakness glorifies Him.
At the heart of man’s first sin in the garden of Eden was a desire to be independent of God. “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5) was the temptation with which Satan enticed our first parents. But we are not God. And we can only fulfil our potential as we walk in faith and obedience toward our Creator. The trials and difficulties that come our way are important reminders of this. Paul’s paradoxical statement, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (II Cor. 12:10), means that God’s power came to fullest flower in his weakness. For this he rejoiced, because the Lord’s work in and through him brought honour and glory not to Paul, but to God (II Cor. 12:9).
This basic principle is taught in other passages. The hunger experienced by the children of Israel in the wilderness had a purpose. It was to remind them of how weak and vulnerable they were without God. “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna…that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). As John the Baptist put it, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). Trusting God in our weakness will become a witness to His greater glory.
8. A commitment to trust in the Lord.
With the prophet we declare, “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid” (Isa. 12:2). “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). The Lord Jesus reassured His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (Jn. 14:1). The Christian can declare with confidence that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
Our faith may be feeble at best, but as we commit ourselves to trusting God, the Spirit of God indwelling each believer will strengthen our souls to go on with more confidence. John Bunyan, the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, wrote a hymn that says, “He who would valiant be / ‘Gainst all disaster; / Let him in constancy / Follow the Master. / There’s no discouragement / Shall make him once relent; / His first avowed intent / To be a pilgrim.”
A practical aid to promoting faith in God is meditation on His promises. The Bible contains many of them–too many to list here. But as you come across them in your daily reading of God’s Word, write them out, perhaps on small cards that you can carry with you, or post in a conspicuous place at home. Read them over, meditate on them, and memorize them. They will feed your soul. (To get started, see: Ps. 42:11; 55:22; Isa. 41:10; Jer. 29:11; Matt. 10:29-31; Rom. 8:28; Gal. 6:9; Heb. 13:5-6)
9. A consistent prayer life.
As the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” reminds us, “Have we trials and temptations? / Is there trouble anywhere? / We should never be discouraged, / Take it to the Lord in prayer.” The Bible frequently calls upon the people of God to bring their problems and concerns to Him in prayer. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! (Ps. 27:14).
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:28-31). Prayer is where to start (Heb. 4:14-16). Pray, and keep on praying!
10. Realizing the limits of our responsibility.
Finally, it is important to recognize that God has not called us to be “successful,” but to be faithful. If we are discouraged about the “results” of our labours, it could be that we are taking on more responsibility that the Lord intends for us. Certainly the Bible makes it clear that in Christian ministry it is God Himself who produces results that will have eternal worth (I Cor. 3:6). As for us, “It is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (I Cor. 4:2). Let us keep on keeping on for the Lord, and leave the outcome to Him.
Demons and music. Some folks involved in “deliverance ministry” suggest that if we play praise music all the time–in our homes, when we’re praying, and so on–it will drive demons away and keep them away, because they hate praise music.
I often wonder where people get such notions–and how they can be so definite and dogmatic about them, when the Bible is silent. Since Satan and his demon army oppose the purposes of God and seek to destroy the people of God (Eph. 6:12; I Pet. 5:8), we are certainly safe in assuming they do not like to see people worshipping the Lord “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). But that’s not the same as saying they don’t like worship music. The two are very different.
A great deal of so-called worship music is mere entertainment. The real audience for this music is not God (as it should be) but the participants themselves, who gather to have their ears tickled in the name of religion. Sometimes the music is designed to promote fleshly excitement and a kind of emotional binge that again falls far short of true worship. In either case, I cannot imagine the devil being too unhappy!
I am no fan of “deliverance ministries.” (Forgive me if I tread on your toes, here.) I think those who practice such things make too much of evil spirits, and step way beyond what Scripture says into unhealthy speculation. I can recall a guest speaker at a camp saying, when the offering didn’t meet his expectations, that demons had a hold of people’s wallets, and he needed to exorcise them! Well, that’s ridiculous! And when we lay the blame for such things at Satan’s door, we may be letting a lot of worldly, carnal Christians off the hook!
The epistles were mainly written to Gentile Christians whom the apostles were led of God to equip to live the Christian life. Since these folks often had no background in the Old Testament, and could not simply go to their local Christian book store and ask for texts on crucial subjects, this instruction was vital. It needed to cover all the essentials. But it is significant that, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, nothing at all is said in the letters of Paul or the others about deliverance ministries, or about casting out demons. Nothing.
The most detailed passage on the subject of Satan’s attacks is Ephesians 6:10-18. There, Paul describes the equipping God gives to protect us against the devil, comparing it to the armament of a Roman soldier. I have preached a series of messages on this passage many times. It presents a practical and common-sense approach to the subject, without any fanciful superstitious overtones.
The twice-repeated instruction given elsewhere is to “resist the devil” (Jas. 4:7; I Pet. 5:8). This simply involves taking a stand upon the Word of God (as Jesus did, Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). We have no business mocking the devil, rebuking him, or even talking to him. Even the powerful angel Michael did not try to do that. When opposed by the Satan, he left matters with the Lord (Jude 1:9). So should we. (I dearly wish Adam and Eve had walked away instead of engaging the serpent in a conversation!)
As to music driving demons out, or keeping them out, that is pure superstition, with no foundation in the Word of God. It sounds something like wearing garlic around your neck to keep vampires away! Or like another idea I heard about: pasting pages of the Bible on the walls of a home to keep the devil out. Actually, the devil likely knows the Bible better than we do, and he readily quotes it if he thinks it will further his malicious plans (cf. Matt. 4:6, quoting Ps. 91:11-12).
But again, note the difference between a ritualistic act and a heartfelt one growing out of a personal relationship with the Lord. When God’s people sincerely worship Him–with music or without it–they are expressing faith in His Word, and acting in obedience to God (Ps. 111:1; Rev. 4:11). That is the essence of what it means to “resist the devil” (Jas. 4:7).
A word needs to be said at this point about an incident in First Samuel Chapter 16. Following the repeated disobedience of King Saul, the Lord had Samuel anoint young David to replace him–though it was still some years before David would ascend to the throne of Israel. And when David was anointed, he received a special empowering by the Spirit of God (vs. 13). In contrast, the Lord departed from Saul, and allowed an evil spirit to go and torment him (vs. 14). This spiritual oppression seems to have been accompanied by times of black emotional depression.
However, the servants of Saul knew that young David was a skilled musician, and he was brought to the palace to play before Saul. “And so it was, whenever the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him” (vs. 23).
A quick glance might suggest to some that this is the kind of thing that is being claimed by the deliverance folk. However, several things must be kept in mind. 1) It is a basic rule of interpretation and application that we should not use a narrative passage to prove a doctrine, or to suggest what happened must apply to all. The incident described happened to David and Saul, but there is no indication God wants others to do the same thing. 2) Nothing is said about the music being worship music. Nothing is said about any words being sung either. Given the instrument used, we can deduce that it was likely soft, pleasant, relaxing music. That is all.
Two further thoughts. 3) Though the distressing spirit departed for a time, Saul was not changed spiritually. For the remainder of his life he was plagued by dark moods and a murderous hatred of the future king. 4) God may well have done this unusual thing more for David’s benefit than for Saul’s. It established David in the court as a person of influence. It highlighted his God-given abilities, and prepared the way for him to take up his reign some time later. Bottom line: This incident does not prove that Christians playing worship music today will drive demons away.
Another problem is this. We live with more noise today than at any other time in history–and part of that noise is musical! Not only do we have music in our homes, and in our cars, but music plugged into our ears when we go jogging, or walk down the street. Then there is music in stores, music in restaurants, music in elevators, music in banks. (I can recall trying to do some calculations in my bank book in the latter, with music so loud I could hardly think clearly!)
We have largely lost the blessing of solitude and silence. Elijah experienced a fire, an earthquake, and a hurricane wind so strong it “tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces.” Yet the Lord did not manifest Himself to His prophet in any of these, but rather in “a still small voice”–a gentle whisper, in other words (I Kgs. 19:11-12). I listen to Christian music too, at times. But if I don’t also have times of quiet, I may miss the gentle whisper of God to my soul.
As far as music in the house of God, even there we need to have times of silence. In one church where I pastored we customarily had a pastoral prayer, when I prayed for the needs of people the Lord laid on our hearts. But at the end of this, I had a time for silent prayer, when those present could each talk to the Lord. It became an island of quiet reverence in the service, giving it an unhurried feel. The Bible says “God is not the author of confusion but of peace” (I Cor. 14:33). I cannot see how trying to pray in competition with some music is a help. And whatever kind of music it is, if it creates confusion, or hazy thinking, the demons will surely rejoice!
Phobias and Christians to some may be an oxymoron. A questioner recently asked,“Please share your thoughts about the control of phobias in the believer’s life. Are phobias a sign of sin, spiritual immaturity or a state of unregeneration?” He was suggesting three possible roots for phobias: sin, spiritual immaturity, or unregeneration (meaning, if I understand him correctly, that the person is unsaved, not a Christian). My answer to him was: None of the above.
There may be times when the person is in one of these three conditions, and that can become a complicating factor. But none of them is usually the cause. A phobia is an emotional problem, not a spiritual one. (Having said that, I recognize there is a spiritual component to both emotional and physical conditions, but we are talking about root causes here.) By definition, a phobia is a persistent and irrational fear. Being irrational means it is not the result of a conscious choice, which sin is.
An example. An individual may have been attacked by a vicious dog, as a very young child. Later, in adulthood, he has a strong aversion to dogs of any kind. That is not a choice he has made. And he may not even recall the original incident. The fear is not reasoned out, nor is it the result of some moral decision to hate dogs. That is why I say such things are not basically a spiritual problem. Saved people can have phobias too. And they may even be mature believers who are walking with the Lord.
Let’s compare a physical example. Suppose a fellow goes to the doctor with a backache. And after examination, the doctor concludes his main problem is his posture. So he is given some physical therapy to help strengthen the appropriate muscles. And he learns, through instruction and practice, to sit, stand and walk in a more healthy way. A similar process takes place when dealing with an unhealthy emotional condition. Phobias–fear of heights, fear of open spaces, and so on–can be relieved by counselling and behaviour modification, if the person feels the phobia is a significant handicap.
Certainly, through prayer, God can give wisdom and support in dealing with a phobia. But normally there is what we might call an “emotional habit” that has to be unlearned. That may call for the assistance of a counsellor or psychologist who has training in this area. To use the dog illustration again, perhaps, the counsellor will begin by showing him pictures of dogs, and helping him to get comfortable talking about them. Then, he will have opportunities to observe dogs from a distance, gradually decreasing the distance as he feels more comfortable, and so on. Fear of airplane flights, and fear of using elevators, are handled in a similar way.
We are tripartite creatures, spirit, soul, and body (I Thess. 5:23). The Bible’s word for “soul” in that text is the Greek word psuche [SOO-kee], from which we get our English word psychology. A phobia is usually (though I will not say absolutely always) due to a psychological condition, not a spiritual problem. We need to be careful not to condemn those who are struggling with emotional difficulties. Sometimes, in leaping to the conclusion that the problem is spiritual, we only make matters worse. There can be spiritual issues to deal with. But not always.
Suppose you visit a fellow in the hospital who has a broken leg. Would you raise the same question? (“Are broken legs a sign of sin, spiritual immaturity, or a state of unregeneration?”) And would you determine to treat his broken leg by reading him Bible verses and calling upon him to repent? He may have broken his leg running from a bank hold-up. In that case, there would be a spiritual need, but you still have to set the leg and deal with that separately. Or he may be a godly man who broke his leg climbing into a burning building to rescue a child. But he still has to have the leg set and cared for.
Some quote Second Timothy 1:7 as proof that Christians should never have mental or emotional disorders. The verse says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear [timidity, cowardice], but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The conclusion reached is that any fear must therefore be a spiritual problem. But notice what the verse does not say. It does not say Christians never have mental or emotional problems, but only that spiritual boldness comes from God.
Paul is writing to a young pastor named Timothy, exhorting him to stand firm in the faith, in the face of opposition (vs. 8; cf. 2:10; 3:12; 4:5). The subject, then, is boldness in ministry, not the treatment of phobias. The text does not rule out the possibility that an emotional disorder can be caused by a physical condition or by prior experiences. For instance, child abuse leaves emotional scars that are not the outcome of personal choice. They are the result of wicked cruelty on the part of parents or others. Committed Christians can have that kind of history too. And they may need professional help dealing with it.
Modern miracles are certainly claimed by various ones. Often they will attempt to find support for their assertions in the Word of God, saying we should expect the supernatural as a daily occurrence because that was the experience of those who lived back then. But, contrary to popular belief, a careful study of the Scriptures shows miracles were not sprinkled evenly throughout the Bible times. Instead, there are three periods of concentrated miracles. These are: during the time of Moses and Joshua; during the time of Elijah and Elisha; during the time of Jesus and the Apostles
Each of these periods lasted for approximately 70 years. Through many centuries between each, miracles tended to be only very occasional events. (It is interesting that a representative from each of these three periods met on the Mount of Transfiguration, Matt. 17:1-3.)
So, what about today? Some suggest we should be seeing the same thing that was experienced in Jesus’ day because He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). And yes, He is the same. The same Person, still and always Israel’s promised Messiah (which is the point in Hebrews). Kenneth Wuest translates the statement, “Jesus is Messiah, yesterday and today the same, and forever.” He is the only Messiah Israel will ever have. But that does not mean He always works in the same way.
The Bible gives us no reason to think that today we should be seeing a great concentration of miracles. The three periods when there was a major breakthrough of the supernatural are definite and well-defined. Each cluster of miracles does not start until after the key person is on the scene. After Moses comes along, the miracles begin, and after Elijah’s ministry begins. It is the same with Jesus. Great as he was, John the Baptist did not perform one single miracle (Jn. 10:41). Nor did Jesus until His three years of ministry had begun (Jn. 2:11).
In keeping with the pattern, the next explosion of miracles won’t begin until after Christ returns (cf. Isa. 35). Based on that, what we can expect today is an occasional breakthrough of the supernatural, here and there. And that is pretty much what we do see. Individuals or groups that emphasize the miraculous, claiming things are just the same as they were in Bible times, have great trouble matching the facts with what they say should be happening.
Sadly, that sometimes results in gross exaggeration or even fraud. A few years ago a famous faith healer claimed he went into a hospital in Ontario and healed everyone–that he emptied the hospital! But when someone checked with the hospital they said they never heard of him, and nothing like that ever happened. More recently, a fellow on television told about some amazing miracles happening in the north among the Inuit. But missionaries who were there say the report was not at all accurate.
We certainly can have confidence in God’s power to do great things beyond the natural and the normal. We serve a powerful God. But we also need a healthy bit of skepticism so we do not simply believe everything we hear or read (cf. Jn. 7:24; I Thess. 5:21). Not even when the name of Christ is invoked. Jesus warns, “Many will say to Me in that day [the day of His return to reign], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not…done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'” (Matt. 7:21-23).
Concerning modern miracles, when someone claims a miracle has happened–let us say a miracle of healing–there are always five or six possibilities to be considered.
It could be true. God can do miraculous things. Elijah’s God still lives today. It would be unwise to put God in a box and say a miracle is impossible.
The event could be explainable by natural means. The human body has an amazing ability to heal itself. Recovery can sometimes happen quickly, and unexpectedly. When it does, we thank the Lord. He did it, by designing the body’s wonderful powers to recuperate (or by gifting medical people to provide the right treatment). But that is not a miracle in the sense that God had to overrule some basic law of nature to accomplish it.
Other times it may be a case of mind over matter. Doctors have known for some time that if a person thinks he will get better, he sometimes will. In the days of the old west, quacks used to go around selling “cure-alls.” Often there was not much in them but water, a bit of flavouring, and some alcohol. Yet sometimes, when people took the concoction believing it would help them, it did. Again, not a “miracle.”
The person could simply be mistaken. He could think he has been healed when he has not. A faith healer tells him, “You’re healed! Throw away your medicine. And don’t go to a doctor–that would show a lack of faith.” And maybe he seems better for a short time. But when the symptoms get worse, he feels guilty for his lack of faith. We have all heard of sad cases where such people, who could have been helped by proper treatment, have died instead.
There can be outright fraud, healings that are faked to deceive the gullible and naive (and to take their money!). This happens all too frequently. One famous healer claimed a miraculous “gift of knowledge” about the illnesses of people in the audiences before him. But he was being fed information by his wife through a hidden earphone–information gathered earlier in interviews! Such con games simply bring unnecessary ridicule to the Christian message and to legitimate servants of God.
There are other supernatural powers at work in the world as well as God’s. The book of Job shows us the devil can cause disease (Job 2:7). It would not be surprising if he also could take sickness away, in some circumstances. Many false religions and cults assert they experience miracles. Maybe some are real miracles, but the source of the supernatural power is not God (cf. II Thess. 2:9).
When the miraculous is claimed, it could be one or another of these is the true explanation. We do not really need to prove which it is. If it is any of the first three, we can simply praise the Lord for the person’s recovery, without arguing over how God did it. If an individual claims to have experienced a miracle, that is largely a subjective assessment, and it is difficult to argue against it. It did not happen to us. We can simply thank the Lord that something good occurred.
If it is any of the latter three, we need to be concerned for the welfare of the person. He could be dangerously misled and in error. Is he, for example, saying, “This happened to me, and therefore it should happen to you”? That is not biblical. In the case of bodily healing, we know that God, for His own wise purposes, does not always grant healing (cf. II Cor. 12:7-10; II Tim. 4:20).
Or is the person saying, “This happened to me and therefore my views must be correct–or what I am doing must be good and pleasing to God”? That is not right either. In Numbers 20 we read of a great miracle–water provided from a rock to quench the thirst of a nation. But God gave it in grace, even though Moses had a bad attitude and sinned in performing the miracle (Num. 20:1-13).
There is a school of thought (called “power evangelism”) that says miracles are needed today, in order to convince people to turn to Christ. But that is not so. The miracles of Bible times were given by God for the purpose of accrediting His messengers and their message (Acts 2:22; II Cor. 12:11-12; Heb. 2:3-4). Now that the message has been confirmed in this way, and written down in God’s Word, it no longer needs special accreditation.
The Holy Spirit speaks through the inspired Word of God. It is the Spirit’s sword (Eph. 6:17), “living and powerful…piercing even to the division of soul and spirit” (Heb. 4:12). That is the method God uses to change lives. There is nothing more powerful. In fact, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, [God’s Word confirmed and written down] neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (Lk. 16:31). We do not need to pray for more miracles. We simply need to declare the Word of the living God, in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. A life transformed by the gospel becomes its own living confirmation of the gospel.
There is no reason to expect that today we will see a concentration of miracles rivalling the three specific periods described in the Scriptures. Miracles are no longer needed to confirm God’s message. If God sovereignly grants a miracle now, it is an individual act of mercy, sometimes given in answer to prayer (I Jn. 5:14). When God works in an amazing and unusual way, we can praise Him, but we must understand that it is not His common way of working. Further, we should be careful not to draw conclusions from the event that are not accurate or biblical.
