Soul-Speak

May 28, 2021

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

- King David, Psalm 42:5

"Talk to yourself as you would to someone you love."

- Brene Brown

The best sermon you'll ever hear is not one that Pastor Jared or Pastor Ken or Pastor Harry or any other pastor delivers...

The best sermon you'll ever hear is not the one you preach to your spouse or to your kids or to your parents or to anyone else....

The best sermon you will ever hear will be the one you preach to yourself!

Psalm 42 is the lament of a king, King David, who has lost control of his life… of his family… of his throne. So, he talks to his soul, and tells himself to trust in the God who is in control when he is not! The context of this psalm reads like an episode from Breaking Bad. Absalom, David's son, is a handsome, strong warrior of high integrity, and when his half-brother rapes his sister… Absalom demands justice. For whatever reason, King David is slow to render it, so Absalom takes matters into his own hands and kills his half-brother. Then he flees into the wilderness where an army of rebels gather around him and say, "Absalom… you should be king!"

The next thing you know, Absalom and his army storm the palace and take control. David, de-throned, runs for his life, hides in a cave on the backside of Mt. Hermon… and as he watches a thirsty deer step into a tiny stream to drink, he sets aside his harp, picks up an old guitar, like B.B.King, and sings the Blues…

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

- Psalm 42:1-2

When David is de-throned, the first thing he does is enthrone God in his heart. David puts his trust in God, even when he's going through something he can't explain. Have you ever gone through something you couldn't explain… or couldn't understand… that didn't add up… that you couldn't make heads or tails of because you did not commit any obvious or evident sin? David's like, "I have no idea why I'm going through this emotional and mental anguish!"

My tears have been my food day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

'Where is your God?'

- Psalm 42:3

Question: What is the most important conversation you have in your day? The one you have with God? Wrong! It's the one you have with yourself just before you talk with God -- when you decide how honest and how transparent and how truthful you will be with God!

David's so honest… He's like, "God, I believe in you, and I love you… but I have to tell you the truth. Day and night, I'm crying out to you… this is killing me. I'm surrounded by people who are telling me I'm a fool for trusting you!"

These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

under the protection of the Mighty One

with shouts of joy and praise

among all the people.

- Psalm 42:4

David sings about the good ole days, when he had his act together… when his life was better… before things fell apart…

...before his heart was broken

...before his home was shattered

...before he lost his joy… his son… his health… his throne.

How many of you have gone through times… and be honest now… since you were a Christian, when there's this inner turbulence that says, "I know Jesus saved me, and He loves me, and He's with me… but, man… I'm feeling like I am all alone here… like I am on my own in this storm?!"

Listen to me now… sometimes you just gotta preach to your soul! You gotta talk to yourself! You gotta step back and speak to your soul!

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your Hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

- Psalm 42:5

Who is David talking to? Himself! When your mind and your emotions get weak, and you begin to cave in to discouragement, you need to say it to yourself…

"C'mon Soul… put your hope in God!"

"C'mon Heart… start to praise my God!"

"C'mon Mind… don't you quit trusting God!"

If today you're going through something you can't figure out… if today you don't know why you're going through this hard situation… if today you are ready to quit… to throw in the towel… do a David, and preach the best sermon you'll ever hear…to yourself:

"C'mon Self… you don't understand it, but God does. Put your hope in Him!"

"C'mon Mark… you may be discouraged, but God is working right now to deliver you. Praise Him for what He's about to do!

"C'mon Susan… you may have tears running down your face, but God is faithful, and He will not fail you!

"C'mon Bob… people are saying you're crazy for trusting God, but God has carried you through the storm time and time again… and He will again. So put your hope in Him!

"C'mon Soul! When you cannot see His Hand, trust His heart for me!"