THERE IS HOPE FOR THE ANXIOUS
“When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your Comfort {consolations} delight my soul.”- -Psalm 94:19
THE MIND BOMBARDED; The psalmist speaks of anxious thoughts that multiplied in his mind, not just one thought, but legions of thoughts bombarding him constantly. It is a terrible thing to have so many numerous thoughts perplexing, accuse, condemn, overwhelm, cast down, be anxious and fear filled, constantly, constantly bombarding the mind. Like the Psalmist we all know of such times when we seemingly could not shut off the constant flow of dreaded thoughts.
“THOUGHTS.”- ” In the multitude of my thoughts within me,”…. The word for ‘thoughts‘ is used of branches of trees, thick and entwined, and so denotes perplexed and distressing thoughts;”- Gill. Barnes writes, “The Hebrew word, “thoughts;” the idea seems to be that in the great number of thoughts which passed through his mind, so many of them perplexing, anxious, burdensome – so many of them vain and profitless – so many of them that seemed to come and go without any aim or object,…”
Anxious thoughts, “distracting thoughts which divide and perplex the mind.” The Psalmist knew by experience of the anxious thoughts that multiplies within but he also knew how to overcome them!
He TESTIFIED “Your COMFORTS DELIGHT MY SOUL.” Not only was their comfort for the mind, but so great is God’s comfort that it influences the soul to find gladness and delight!
GOD’S COMFORT; He imparts HOPE, to his readers and to you and me too! In the midst of this onslaught he found the reality of, ” But God…” the onslaught of anxious thoughts is not the end…There is a “BUT GOD…” indeed HE BROKE in and HE DISPENSED not only COMFORTING THOUGHTS, but thoughts that caused his soul to DELIGHT in, Rejoice in and make his soul glad. Such is the hope that is found in God. His comforts can OVERCOME the mind that is sorrowing, downcast, anxious, perplexed, burdensome, afraid, to be filled with THOUGHTS that COMFORT and produce in the soul Delight and dance for joy.”
“DELIGHT.”– “Those which are in great pain, they would be glad if they might have but ease, they cannot aspire so high as pleasure and delight, this is more than can be expected by them; but see here now the notable efficacy of these Divine comforts; they do not only pacify the mind, but they joy it; they do not only satify it, but ravish it; they not only quiet, but delight it. Thy comforts delight my soul. That is, not only take away the present grief, but likewise put in the room and place of it most unspeakable comfort and consolation; as the sun does not only dispel darkness, but likewise brings in a glorious light in the stead of it.
“MY SOUL”- We showed before how the grief was in the mind, and therefore the comfort must be so also, that the remedy may answer the malady. Bodily pleasure will not satisfy for mind distraction: nothing will ease the soul but such comforts as are agreeable to itself, and such are these present comforts of God, they delight the soul.” – Thomas Horton.
DANCING WITH JOY;
“To cause the soul to DELIGHT,” the word speaks of DANCING WITH DELIGHT! God’s comfort has an effect. It causes the soul to DANCE! Amazing that God can cause the soul to rise up and dance in the heart with delight. No, you may not be much of a dancer but you can dance in your heart! God – causing comfort, peace, satisfaction, delight and rest in the Lord. He is your refuge. The psalmist had comfort in the character, promises and Word of God. Turning from the evil thoughts that would molest there is comfort and peace and indeed thoughts that so ignite the soul, it must dance for joy in Him! He Himself does this! This is the work of God to over-rule all thoughts and inject His Comforting TRUTH and it causes the SOUL TO DANCE WITH DELIGHT! Miracle working God. Arrest your thoughts before they arrest you! Arrest your thought with Truth! Think on Truth and allow His Truth to Transform you! “Do not be conformed to this world but be TRANSFORMED by the Renewing of your mind… Let the Word of Christ SWELL in you Richly… Whatever things are TRUE, LOVELY, PRAISEWORTHY… let your MIND dwell there.” {Rom 12:2; Col 3:15-16; Phil 4:8}
TRAINING YOUR MIND TO THINK “RIGHT!”- If you are told “stop being anxious, stop being anxious,” what are you going to be thinking of? “I’m not to be anxious, I’m not to be anxious!” So what to do? Replace the thought with the TRUTH about God, His character, promises, Truth! The Holy Spirit takes His Word and begins to grant insight and influences your mind to think on truth which transforms us and produces faith. Abraham did so! “Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”- {Romans 4:18-21}. Anxiety divides the mind. God’s design for you is to love Him with all our heart soul and MIND. So we have to choose to THINK on His Word. His character. His Faithfulness, goodness. His promises. “Sanctify them according to your Word, Your Word is TRUTH!”{John 17:17}
“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (Psalm 94:19).
“When I was upset and beside myself, You calmed me down and cheered me up.” {The Message }
CAN I HAVE THIS DANCE WITH YOU?
Anxious Thoughts Seek To Devour and lead to deapiar, Gods Comfort the mind to such an effect the soul, the whole being is raised up and dances in delight- Such is the Power, Love, Comfort of God! May He calm and comfort your mind and repalce with joy, hope that influences and causes your whoe being to be elevated and put your soul to dancing. “LORD, Its time for a dance!” While the enemy would have you dance with despair and anxiety, God would overrulle to dance with His provision of hope, comfort’s many consolations to you!
“LORD, You can have this dance!!”
PERSONAL APPLICATION;
TAKE HOPE. THERE IS COMFORT FOR YOU THERE IS THE POTENTIAL OF DANCING FOR DELIGHT IN YOUR HEART. GOD COMFORTS! He is the God of all comfort who comforts the afflicted and anxious one.
Ask Him to arrest your thoughts;
CALL OUT TO HIM {Psalm 50:15}
CHOOSE TO THINK ON HIS CHARACTER
CHOOSE TO THINK ON HIS PROMISES
CHOOSE TO THINK ON HIS PROVIDENCE IN DEALING WITH HIS PEOPLE IN THE SCRIPTURES
CHOOSE TO THINK ON HIS FORMER KINDNESS’S TO YOU
CHOOSE TO THINK ON HIS LOVE FOR YOU
CHOOSE TO – SPEAK THE TRUTH ALOUD IF NEED BE TO YOURSELF!
My prayer is this day you will EXPERIENCE the COMFORT and may your SOUL DANCE WITH DELIGHT . Because of the comforts of His love for you in your soul!!