Stress and Discouragement
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Reading from God’s Word:
1 Samuel 31:4
"Saul said to his armor bearer, 'Draw your sword and pierce me through with it...' But his armor bearer would not...So Saul took his sword and fell on it."
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THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:
The life of a soldier is filled with stress. They are perpetual targets, facing constant worries, always aware that their actions could result in victory or defeat, life or death. Stress recently has been identified as a primary cause of a sharp increase in U.S. Army suicides.
Saul was a soldier who knew this kind of stress, with emotions compounded by his burdens as king of Israel. After enduring years of internal and external struggles, one day he watched as the Philistines defeated his army and killed many men, including his own sons.
After being wounded himself, Saul became so hopeless that he asked his armor bearer to kill him. Paralyzed with fear, this man would do nothing. So Saul took his own life.
Was this death inevitable? No. It had been brought on by Saul's own mistakes-his jealousy, disobedience, and decision to turn his back on God. People from all walks of life experience stress, day after day. But stress seems to intensify particularly during the holidays, when more people feel burdened, hopeless, discouraged, or even suicidal.
In the stress of life, we should remember Psalm 42's words of a man whose soul was in deep despair. He found help as he turned to God, seeking Him "as the deer pants for streams of water." Instead of bottling up his discouragement, he "poured out" his feelings to the Lord. He could say, "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."If you start to feel depressed or overwhelmed, turn to God. Place your hope in Him. He will restore your joy, fulfill your hope, and give you victory.
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Prayer:
Father, I put my faith and hope in You. Help me to trust in you when I am discouraged or depressed because of the stressful experiences of life. Thank You for giving me victory in those stressful times. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Extended Reading:
1 Samuel 31
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