An Overwhelmed Heart;
“From the ends of the earth, I cry to You for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,”-(Psalm 61:2)
THE WORD, “Overwhelmed,” means literally,“to cover in darkness.” So dark and bleak were things for him he teaches us several simple truths we often forget… when we find ourselves,”overwhelmed,” namely
1. TURN TO GOD and Not away from Him.– The tendency is to run to and fro and look for relief, delivery in our own strength, leaning to our own understanding, looking elsewhere for help. And it is fruitless, useless, and anxiety inflamed. Turn to God- Not away from Him!
2.TRUST GOD– Take Him as the Word reveals Him. He is Sovereign over all. Our afflictions, the length of them, the escape from them. Or the sustaining us in them with sufficient grace. The psalmist turns to Him requesting from Him what He alone is able to do. Rescue him. Get him up and out of the dark overwhelming place, into a higher secure keeping place.
- He presents Him as Sovereign One over the “overwhelming” circumstance.
- He presents Him as the Rescuing One.
- He presents Him as the God of Hope not only for himself but to those whom he testified to in his day and in our day.
- Sovereign – Rescuer- Sustainer – Hope! TRUST H- I- M! To trust Him we must THINK RIGHT about Him as He is revealed to us in His Word!{Read Romans 12:2;Phil 4:8-9}
3. TALK TO GOD.- Tell Him exactly how you are feeling– In this case, “overwhelmed.” He already knows, but in coming to Him it is an act of faith. Faith glorifies Him.-{Read Romans 4:19-21}. Faith Pleases Him. “Without faith it is Impossible to please Him “-{ Read Heb 11:6}. Your turning to Him is an act of faith… Pray specifically- “Lead me to the towering Rock of safety,”– He specifically asked for God to do what he was unable to do for Himself, lead him to the place of Victory. Lead him Up and out of his dark place to a place of safety! What exactly did the psalmist want? He knew, and he asked God for it. Be specific!
4.- TENDERIZING US through Trials; In these circumstances God is always working for our spiritual “good” to make us more like His Son, in our thinking, doing, motivations and also for that of others through us. – (Read Rom 8:28-29). Also, the “good” is the sanctifying, {changing us} work trials play in our lives. And the “good” of equipping us to walk, live consistently, tenderly, compassionately with empathy for those whom God will send us to, to encourage them in their time of great difficulty.( Read 2 Cor 1:3,4; 2 Cor 7:6) A suffering servant can have fellowship, empathy,compassionate identification with another suffering servant of the Lord.-(Read Phil 3:10; 2 Cor 1:4; Heb 4:15-16)
5.- THANK GOD we can turn to Him, in our various difficulties. He is our answer!
An Overwhelmed Heart is an opportunity to
* Turn To God
* Trust God
* Talk To God
* Tenderize our hearts to others
* Thank God-