“My Spirit Was Overwhelmed” (Ps 77)

I cried out to God with my voice – to God with my voice; and He gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed” (vs1-3).

Unbelieving thoughts are in us all,but what will we do? Will we refuse to be comforted? He said, “my soul refused to be comforted”, but it isn't wise. We are never to say, “It is too hard, I'm in too much trouble”, or, “My sin is too severe”. We're to receive the grace that's in Christ; it conquers sin and makes us able to rejoice and do God's will. Paul said, “I can do all things thorugh Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).

Never say, “Things are bad, so I won't believe”, not when Christ died for sinners! Never say, I will starve, when loaves of mercy are on the table. You are not worse than anyone else, and your trouble is not greater than the Son of God. He is the mighty God and Savior, able to save you from sins, able to give you obedience in your condition, and able to fulfill every promise, bringing you to glory in the end.

Many say, “It's too late”, “I've done too much evil”, or “My hope is gone”. Hope in self is gone (and it shouldn't have been there in the first place), but hope in Jesus Christ is never misplaced, so long as He rules this world and saves the struggling. Christ isn't a fair weather god, someone with you in the good times, but in the darkness, he shrinks and fades. It is when unbelief is strong, sin is powerful, and tears are flowing that we find Christ to be all that we need: faithful, gracious, and full of giving and comfort.

Many say, “I refuse”, but aren't we wise to preach Christ to them graciously? Haven't you refused, and then He still pressed you with promises and care? He isn't like us, giving to the worthy, but He's unique. He gives to the sinful, His power is for the weak, and His comfort is for people who are FILLED with misery. Someone said, “I'd lost my job, my mother died, the house was foreclosed on, and I didn't think I had any hope, no where to go. So, I slit my wrists, waited to die, and hoped to slip off into nothingness”. This isn't faith. This is sight; it is judging by what we see and feel, rather than by eternal truths and promises. We may be miserable in circumstance, but the comfort God gives is more than peace; it is sanctifying and holy, and it produces changes in character as the attitude and spirit are renewed (2 Cor 4:16). Comfort is the start of new ambitions and fruitfulness. Comfort isn't because you deserve it or your problems are small; comfort is BECAUSE OF Christ.

Secondly, recovery comes by the word of God, received, chewed upon, and believed (vs4-15). He said, “Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has his promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in agner shut up His tender mercies? This is my infirmity; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of your deeds.” He got himself into the word, remembered his blessings in Christ, mulled them over, discussed them with himself and others, and then received what he'd been missing. This is the way! The B I B L E is the answer, and open discussion of His truth, along with pondering it for your comfort, is the way that peace is received.

Time comes in our lives when we must close the book, but there's never a time to forget what He says, when we're in need. He doesn't comfort, ever, apart from the word of God, so we look to Him who saves by the message of the cross, so we can believe. I go to church powerless and helpless, needy and feeling like I'm empty with nothing to give, and yet, God's word, prayed about, studied, believed, and preached brings me into another state, where defeat is no longer an option, and the world, I'm assured, will be conquered and subdued beneath me., “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” (1 John 5:4). What changes? God's gotten inside of us by the scriptures, as His means of lifting us up. He draws us near, makes us ponder spiritual truth, and then, He reveals Himself to us in our need by the word we doubted finally convincing us! Stay near to the word of God and return to Him by it. Truth makes you believe.

Finally, God uses human hands to lead us (vs16-20). He says, “You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron”. He uses men who wrote the scriptures, and He even uses men who open the scriptures to us now, pastors and teachers, using the church as a whole, as we love and help each other. Scripture says, “but, speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ” (Eph 4:15). Knowledge comes from God, but He leads by human hands!

I bless God that when I preach and write, I do nothing. I add nothing to the word - no cleverness and no extra shine. The word of God is enough, and I will not alter it, trembling before His throne. He says, “But on this one will I look: on him who is afflicted and of a lame spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Is 66:2). His word opened is how we see Christ in His beauty, and it is God's power to save!

Don't disregard human hands as if you don't need them. You do. But, they are moved by God, if their hands do you any good.