Psalms – Prayers of Honesty and Praise
Depression. Even the word is, well, depressing. It sounds like you are being pressed and push further into a pit of despair. It sounds pretty flat, doesn’t it? Everything in life that you care about and are passionate about begin to overwhelm you. Like David, you feel like you are trapped in a cave with no way out, no way to be found out that you are there.I am sarcastically amused by “public service” announcements that say, “Depressed? Feel like taking your own life? Then call this number for help.” Mm, if you are depressed to the point of wanting to die, are you going to get up and call? Probably not. There is Someone who will come to you quickly because He is already there.
David knows who to call to help him through this seemingly defeating moment in his life. He calls on God, His Maker, the One who knows his predicament before David knows and is planning his rescue before he prays for help. David is an interesting man to God, a man “after God’s heart”, a child of God who God has picked to become the king to God’s people. But right now, he’s stuck in a cave of despair.What would we do in our “cave” experiences in the lows of depression if we knew God had better plans for us? David cries out to God at one point and says, “You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!” What if we thought of God as our first and BEST chance? What if in the lows we remember that HE is our wonderful hope for life worth living? What if we knew that this momentary cave experience would actually help us to grow stronger, healthier, wiser with more understanding for others going through their own cave times? Who knew that cave experiences make us grow…even bloom…in the dark?
You are my strength when I am weakYou are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord, to give up I’d be a fool
You are my all in all
Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all…
Rely on God, know that He is there with you. He is planning better days for you. Allow Him to pluck you out of your cave of depression, your lows and set backs. There are better days coming! In the meantime, thank God for all He has done, is doing and will do. Dream about what God will do next in you and how He will work. That is the first step to leaving the cave. You will discover that God will do far more than you ask or imagine! He will always go far above our own thinking…for He is God and we are not. And that’s not all! His showers of blessings will wash off all the dirt from the cave experience and open up those weak eyes from being in the dark!Psalm 142, The Message
A David Prayer—When He Was in the Cave
1-2 I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy.
I spill out all my complaints before him,
and spell out my troubles in detail:
3-7 “As I sink in despair, my spirit ebbing away,
you know how I’m feeling,
Know the danger I’m in,
the traps hidden in my path.
Look right, look left—
there’s not a soul who cares what happens!
I’m up against it, with no exit—
bereft, left alone.
I cry out, God, call out: ‘You’re my last chance, my only hope for life!’
Oh listen, please listen;
I’ve never been this low.
Rescue me from those who are hunting me down;
I’m no match for them.
Get me out of this dungeon
so I can thank you in public.
Your people will form a circle around me
and you’ll bring me showers of blessing!”
Our Father in Heaven,
Thank you for always being with us in our highs and in our lows. It is in our lows that you rein us in, teach us, bless us with your presence and fill us with peace once more. It is in the cave that you have our full attention. You show us your glory and power, love and peace, and we are grateful. In those days when we don’t feel, may we not rely on feelings but continue to hold your hand and draw close to you. May we turn our sorrow to dreams of better days with You forever. May we grow in the cave as we wait for your rescue.
In Jesus Name, Amen
And I’m singing…You Say by Lauren Daigle
I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know (ooh oh)
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity, (ooh oh)
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
And You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
Oh, I believe
Taking all I have and now I’m laying it at Your feet
You have every failure God, and You’ll have every victory, (ooh oh)
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
I believe
Oh I believe (I), yes I believe (I)
What You say of me (I)
Oh I believe (oh)
YES! I BELIEVE!
