Be Gracious to Me, Oh Lord

I know it looked like I had abandoned my study, but I haven't I promise! I was on vacation! On the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Duck to be exact. Every morning, I would get out of bed and hobble down the spiral stairs, then head to the beach! Where I sat and watched the sunrise.. and did my morning devotions! What an amazing way to start your day.

 But not only was it a perfect way to start a day, it offered a wonderful opportunity to commune with God

 2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. 

3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?

 WOW! I have spiraled far into depression. Having almost lost myself and yet I never thought to look to the Psalms for my answers. Unlike David, I turned first inward and shoved it all down. My head in the sand and then I took it upon myself to find a solution. Writing blogs about my loss of self. 

 But I am not alone! I forgot that I am not the first to struggle with depression nor am I the first to use "worldly" ways to heal. NO MORE!! I need to cast my troubles upon God's waters where I can watch the tide pull them away. 

 This verse was a true revelation to me.. it offered me a chance to seek God's guidance with my struggles. It gave me peace and it rejuivinated me. It's hard to explain how four simple lines can practically change your entire way of thinking and yet that is what happened.

&nbspEvery day we have to remember that we were put here to worship God.. and when we falter, there is only one way to turn. When we try using the ways of the world, we come up short. Feeling alone, confused, abandoned, incomplete, inferior.. the list goes on. Only God can give us the power to go on! The knowledge that we are doing the right thing and are living for the right reason. And if we stumble, if we lose ourselves to languishing, remember.. don't try and fix it yourself, turn to God.. offer yourself up to God and let Him lead you out of the darkness. Which might include counseling or talking about it.. but don't "self medicate" turn to God first! 

Shauni