The Perfect Recipe for Encouragement- Ps. 130

- Blogmas Day Nine . Happy Paper Clip . Psalm 130 -

Hi Folks! How has your week been? We made it to the end! I have not much to report on today. Today has been a fairly quiet day for me. Sometimes I like it like that, but other days like today, it can be a challenge. In full transparency, as evidenced in my journal entry from this morning, I have come to realize I'm still wrestling with feelings of loneliness. The feeling comes and goes, but ever since my recent breakup experience, it has been harder for me to shake it off.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 10:5

... But I diligently fight against it by continually reminding myself of truth and renewing my mind with scripture. I know that even if I am experiencing loneliness on a whole new level, the loneliness doesn't by any means define me. Jesus Does - And that truth brings me much comfort.
I definitely feel like I am in "a valley" in life right now, looking up, longing for the next mountain top. I'm not going to declare this valley a bad thing though. Besides the fact that I do feel like I am trekking upwards out of it, I take heart in this valley knowing God is using it to grow me. He and I both know, more often than not, I am quicker to call, rely on, and turn to him in the valleys than when I am on mountain tops, unfortunately to say... but THIS article says it well, AND I also know- furthermore to his glory, valleys don't last forever! Praise the Lord!

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3: 31-33, 19-25

SO, anyway, is an apology necessary for my content not being the most "happy" today? After some quick thought, I've concluded: No, I don't think so. Though not those most "fluffy" of entries, I think it is stilled grounded in optimism. Life does not always dish out mountain tops, but there can still be faith and hope in the valleys to write about, and that is what I am setting out to do! I know as a "Blogmas" entry, this post insufficiently cultivates the "Christmas Cheer" that Blogmas posts typically do, but I'm just not for it today. I'm not sure I will be at all this year. I think the paper clip in the photo above has more Christmas cheer than I do at this point. But that is okay. I cherish the real "reason for the season" and meaning of Christmas deep deep deep in my heart... It has just been a little hard for me to jump on the commercialized Christmas bandwagon this year with the loss I experienced earlier, but that is okay. Can anyone relate?

NOW, for the meat of the blog post (as if the verses above were not enough 😆). I wanted to share with you this passage in scripture that has been absolutely rocking my world lately, Psalm 130. I first discovered this Psalm through the music artists, Shane and Shane, and their reference to it in one of their songs "I Will Wait For You" (featured in my blog post from Monday). Without fail, no matter how low I am feeling, whenever I take time to visit this passage in scripture, really read the text and "marinade" in, and pray through it, my soul renews. Continue reading below to read through it for yourself, discover its richness, and read my thoughts on it. I hope you find yourself just as refreshed by it as I!

Psalms 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

My Thoughts:
Psalm 130:1-2 Wow! the psalmist is in a really low place! CRYING out -longing to be heard! #relatable
Psalm 130:3-4 I LOVE these verses. They highlight our biggest problem, that we have offended a mighty, perfect, just, and holy God with our sin, and in light of remembering that, any present hardships, trials, and/or sufferings, become seemly small in comparison.
BUT THEN GOD GOES AND TAKES CARE of our biggest problem, forgiving us through Jesus! If this good and glorious God is big enough, and cares enough to take care of my biggest problem (my sin debt), it encourages me to know and believe He can then take care of, oversee, and handle any of my other problems. "Therefore he is feared" - Is a reminder to me to have a proper perspective on just how mighty and amazing the God is that I am praying/crying out to and that I better darn be doing so reverently.
Psalm 130:5-6 A reminder to be putting my hope in the right thing, God and his Word! And Oh, how the psalmist EXPECTANTLY LONGS & HOPES & WAITS FOR GOD and for his salvation to be fully consummated. #iamforit
Psalm 130:7 With HIM is unfailing love, (I surmise, deep down inside, is all my being really wants and needs in this life) and redemption (His heart is for the restoration; one day all that's broken will be fixed) FULLY.
Psalm 130:8 HE DOES IT. He does the work.

Is this text NOT just the MOST BEAUTIFUL, HOPE-INDUCING, LIFE-GIVING text you've read all week? Tell me I'm wrong?

😊Hope you enjoyed this post, Blessings! Thanks for stopping by, Let me know that you did!

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↓ For More Optimistic Reads ↓

The Occupied Optimist

Friday, December 9, 2022