From the Depths of a Funk

Psalm 119:25-32

Verse 25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.

Today we start the fourth stanza of this special psalm. The psalmist begins this new portion with a mildly depressed mood, but he isn't wanting to stay there.

Yesterday we were talking about how it can hurt when those close to us don't want to join us in living as reflections of God and His law. The psalmist seemed to know this first hand. He was feeling lower than a snake's belly but he knew that it wasn't good to remain there. The pain he was feeling wasn't bringing him the joy he knew he could find in the Lord. He knew he had to find a way out of his funk.

The psalmist knew there was only one way to be lifted up in his spirit and that was to look to the source of his joy, the Lord Himself. It was about not looking at the pain and trials of what he was going through. While he felt like he was drowning in the situation only looking towards the true Life preserver would fix what he was going through.

The ways of the world can overwhelm us easily. We stumble through life seeing things and activities we want that we think will make us happy but all they do is drag us down. We start feeling the weight of this world drag us out of the freedom we have in Christ. It all comes down to perspective and choices.

If we want to see the freedom that is ours in Christ we first need to stop looking to the things and people of this world to find it. He didn't come to bind us to a rigid life that is boring and unreasonable. He came to earth to reveal the freedom that comes from loving God and His law and all the while being preserved from those who wish to squash the message that obeying God's law is freeing. Instead of a burden it is freeing as we come to see it doesn't bring condemnation that is eternal.

Living in accordance to His Word will bring us joy as it will build our loving relationship with Him. And though there will be trials along the way, there is a joy that lasts eternal.

Making It Personal

When was the last time you felt lower than dust? What brought you down? What verses bring you hope when you are down?

Making It Personal Kids

Are there times you feel sad? What things make you sad? Is there a Bible verse that helps make you better?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for being our life preserver. Help us understand that You, through Your Word, can pull us up from our lowest days. Give us hearts that look to You no matter what is going on in our lives. In Jesus' name, amen.