Dearly Beloved
MAY THE LORD CAUSE HIS FACE TO SHINE ON YOU.
I want to talk to you about “soul sickness.” This is caused by a flood of troubles coming upon you – not just one problem, but one after another. King David cried, “Save me, O God, for waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire. I am come into deep waters, floods overflowing. I am weary of my crying” (Psalm 69:1-3).
Troubles came at David so powerfully he thought he would collapse. He prayed, “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am so distressed. I am wasting away from grief. My strength faileth, my soul and my belly” (Psalm 32:9).
Some readers may say, “I have known troubles, but not a flood of them. I can’t relate to David’s pain. I can’t relate to Job’s afflictions.” But I am speaking to those who are facing a flood of fears: fear of losing a job. Fear about finances. Fear about marriage or children. Fear about world conditions. Right now, multitudes of elderly people are living on starvation means. Parents grieve over children who are drawn away by drug and alcohol-addicted friends. Couples have mounting mortgage payments, troubled marriages, bills piling up.
I have been called a doomsday preacher. Some have even asked to be taken off my mailing list because they say I am too negative. But I can’t help speaking about what I see and hear. Chat with your neighbors – listen as they express their heartsickness over the hell breaking out in schools, the politically correct messes foisted on kids, teaching that is so immoral and godless it sickens the soul.
The root cause of soul sickness is when your troubles go on…when events get worse…when your soul cries out to God for help…and there seems to be no answer. Soul sickness is to know the Lord, to love him, to pray and even to shed tears, and still he does not seem to be there.
David said his troubles became so overwhelming, his soul was cast down “so that I cannot even speak.” In other words: “I have cried so much, there are no tears left. All I can see now is despair in the days ahead.”
If you relate to this at all, I have hopeful news for you. Here are simple, uncomplicated, biblical truths that can heal your soul sickness:
• Most important of all, keep praying, even when the situation worsens. God is going to answer in his time, in ways you could not imagine. The hardest part of faith is the last half hour, just before the answer comes.
• Even as important: do not get mad at God – ever! I see this happening to believers worldwide. All unbelief and impatience imply that the Lord has picked you out of the masses in the world and made you the object of cruelty and harassment. God forbid! He loves you through all your struggles. If he were to shut his ear to your cries, he would be a fraud – and he is not. He is your loving, forgiving, almighty, caring Father.
Shake off fear, because it has torment. Instead, rest in his promises. Things may change – your lifestyle may have to be simplified because of circumstances – but all things do work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose.
Look up – God will never fail you!
I want to talk to you about “soul sickness.” This is caused by a flood of troubles coming upon you – not just one problem, but one after another. King David cried, “Save me, O God, for waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire. I am come into deep waters, floods overflowing. I am weary of my crying” (Psalm 69:1-3).
Troubles came at David so powerfully he thought he would collapse. He prayed, “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am so distressed. I am wasting away from grief. My strength faileth, my soul and my belly” (Psalm 32:9).
Some readers may say, “I have known troubles, but not a flood of them. I can’t relate to David’s pain. I can’t relate to Job’s afflictions.” But I am speaking to those who are facing a flood of fears: fear of losing a job. Fear about finances. Fear about marriage or children. Fear about world conditions. Right now, multitudes of elderly people are living on starvation means. Parents grieve over children who are drawn away by drug and alcohol-addicted friends. Couples have mounting mortgage payments, troubled marriages, bills piling up.
I have been called a doomsday preacher. Some have even asked to be taken off my mailing list because they say I am too negative. But I can’t help speaking about what I see and hear. Chat with your neighbors – listen as they express their heartsickness over the hell breaking out in schools, the politically correct messes foisted on kids, teaching that is so immoral and godless it sickens the soul.
The root cause of soul sickness is when your troubles go on…when events get worse…when your soul cries out to God for help…and there seems to be no answer. Soul sickness is to know the Lord, to love him, to pray and even to shed tears, and still he does not seem to be there.
David said his troubles became so overwhelming, his soul was cast down “so that I cannot even speak.” In other words: “I have cried so much, there are no tears left. All I can see now is despair in the days ahead.”
If you relate to this at all, I have hopeful news for you. Here are simple, uncomplicated, biblical truths that can heal your soul sickness:
• Most important of all, keep praying, even when the situation worsens. God is going to answer in his time, in ways you could not imagine. The hardest part of faith is the last half hour, just before the answer comes.
• Even as important: do not get mad at God – ever! I see this happening to believers worldwide. All unbelief and impatience imply that the Lord has picked you out of the masses in the world and made you the object of cruelty and harassment. God forbid! He loves you through all your struggles. If he were to shut his ear to your cries, he would be a fraud – and he is not. He is your loving, forgiving, almighty, caring Father.
Shake off fear, because it has torment. Instead, rest in his promises. Things may change – your lifestyle may have to be simplified because of circumstances – but all things do work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose.
Look up – God will never fail you!