Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11

I am often amazed by the feebleness of my own heart. When I’m thinking straight, I have great faith. I have been a Christian for well over 40 years. I have not only seen the fruits of great faith in my mother, father, and grandmother, but have seen God be faithful to me and my family as well. I have seen God answer prayers both big and small. I’ve seen God lead and guide us through dark valleys and onto distant continents. Never once, has God been anything but faithful to me. Like the song says, “All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so, good…”

All of this is objectively true. So why do I find my faith so easily turned on its head? Somedays it seems like the smallest hint of potentially disappointing news is enough to put me into a spiritual tailspin. In those moments I find the Psalms to be especially encouraging. I see in the very words of Scripture not only the reassurance that my feelings are not utterly bizarre, but that there is hope for the easily downcast. 

The Psalmist calls out his temporary lack of faith, “Why so downcast?” The question itself shines a light on the preposterousness of it all. The question of “Why?” forces us to look straight into the eyes of doubt. When I stop and evaluate why I’m downcast, the answer is often silly. Why? Because I heard something that might indicate that this less-than-ideal imaginary outcome may come to pass. Most of the time I’m downcast over something that is trivial. But the question holds true even in the face of a truly devastating scenario. A diagnosis of cancer or the death of a family member is anything but trivial, but regardless of the answer to our “Why” the response is always the same—“put your hope in God.” 

The Psalmist calls us to look our problems in the face and then look immediately into the face of our Lord and Savior. What a difference this makes! I am not a victim of chance. I am not overwhelmed by circumstances outside of anyone’s control. I am not the passive recipient of someone else’s reckless or even intentionally harmful actions. Instead, everything in my life is completely in the hands of my all powerful and loving heavenly Father. 

When I put my hope in God, my perspective is completely changed. That disappointing news is simply God not giving me what would not be good for me. That unwanted trial is God’s planned purpose to grow me in my conformity to Christ.  Even that evil that I may be dealing with may be meant to harm me by my enemies, but it is going to be turned to my good by my God. What discourages you? Let us put our hope in God for we will yet praise him, our Savior and our God!