“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” Psalm 103:1-5 (NASB)
Do you ever talk to yourself? Do you ever experience a conflict between your head and your heart? You know what is right, correct, and the best plan, but your emotions want to pull you down a different path.
In today’s passage, David appears to be talking to himself: “Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name…” I think David was attempting to align his heart with his head.
David faced many challenges throughout his life. Some were the result of his unwise choices, while others were simply the result of being in a position of leadership as king. Plus there were difficulties resulting from people with evil intentions. His deep and personal thoughts captured in the Psalms are filled with vivid emotional responses to such circumstances.
In this psalm, David challenges himself to recall and praise God for forgiveness, healing, salvation, love and compassion, provision, and renewal. David trusts in God’s power to re-energize his life when his emotions were beginning to lead him in the wrong direction.
David’s spiritual roots went deep into the soil of God’s character and his experience of God’s faithfulness. Therefore, he consistently brought his feelings into line with the truth of God’s unchanging place in his life. What a place of stability! While feelings change frequently, God does not!
You may need to have a conversation with yourself about the disconnect between your emotions and what you know to be truth based on God’s perspective. Emotions are not bad in and of themselves; it’s how you manage them that determines outcomes.
God thank You that Your presence, love, and compassion surrounds me today. I know You are with me even when I doubt or am unhappy with what life seems to be bringing my way. I will trust You. Amen
By Mike Woodard