Dear Church...Cheer Up

After hearing Jon's message this past Sunday night during Evensong I got to thinking, is this something that I actually take note of a lot? In my daily routines at work, school, church, etc., I'm often caught up in the hustle and bustle of trying to get things done and learn what I need to and I forget about what Jesus tells us through his letters to us in Revelation. I was just sitting there listening to all the things that go on in people's lives and i was thinking, "gosh, life can really suck..." It was in this thinking mentality that it hit me, "Whoa, these situations.......MY situations.......MY LIFE.....this is me....this IS REAL." Now that I can look back and reflect on all of this, there is a Psalm that comes straight to mind, one that really is descriptive of my whole life situation.

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people;
they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11 “What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
12 Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.

15 If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.

27 Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

When I read this I split this down into three parts. The first part (verses 1-14) the Psalmist is basically journalling about what he is feeling. And it is so fitting that he feel the way he does because don't we feel this same way sometimes? I mean, just read those verses again. I can definitely speak from my own experiences that I have been distracted by the successes of wicked and those who aren't believers/followers of Christ. Then I read the verse where he talks about almost slipping away......(I can see a direct correlation to my life). But in the midst of all of this there is hope....In the next verses (15-20) I read about just how lucky I am. Those people may be successful now, but it won't last. My hope is in Christ and He never fails! The third part (21-28) flows right from this, being that once this hope is realized, we should be filled with the joy that Christ brings and share it with those who aren't as privileged as us to feel that joy. Psalm 73 is the Psalm of my life......is it yours as well?

So after all of that, I just want to encourage you.....cheer up.....things might seem unbearable now, but they don't last....I want to leave you with these last few verses that has always helped me through those tough times....

1 Peter 5:8-10 (New International Version)

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.