Do you ever feel down in the dumps and not really know why? I feel like that from time to time, and feel that way today. I get in to this state of lacking enthusiasm for anything, and just find myself sighing through everything.
I feel bad about it, because I know I have so much to be thankful for and happy about. It's just this dumb feeling that I can't shake sometimes. My friend preached in a sermon on Sunday about 'preaching to yourself' with truths from scripture when you are struggling to grasp joy. I think that's what I need to do. I think I'd be better off going and praying for a bit than sitting here typing about it, to be honest.
My blog must seem pretty strange. One minute I'm joking about something or other and the next I'm all serious and downcast. I think I am not a very level person. I go up, down, up, down a lot. And I think maybe I use my blog as a way of preoccupying myself with silly things so as to prolong or procrastinate thinking and dealing with more serious issues at hand. Yikes, I'm revealing too much.. retreat, retreat!
Enough of that. I better go and pray about this before I write off the day.
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
Huldra Forsvant (Theodor Kittelsen)
5 comments:
Brethra, don't ever change!!
How boring life would be if Ben wasn't Ben.....
What scriptuer are you referring to?
thanks mate. Passages like this one from Philipians 4--
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
My friend was talking about what it means to rejoice 'always', and what a strange idea this is. But that 'rejoicing' isn't being happy and smiley all the time, it is being content and at peace with God. He was saying how helpful it is to memorise bits of the bible to speak to 'preach to' ourselves when we are downcast.
Hey Ben,
I'll also add Psalm 42 to the list, which is where Martyn Lloyd-Jones gets that idea of "preaching to yourself" from. In particular verse 5 when the guy says to himself "Why are you so downcast O my soul" and then preaches to himself saying "Put your hope in God":)
Lairdy
I get like that sometimes Ben - down, unenthused and sad for no apparent reason. And then I feel self-indulgent and silly for feeling that way, as nothing bad is going on in my life.
Reading the Bible is a great source of comfort - even if its just a few chapters and you don't do anything more than read it. Last night, Sam read me four chapters of Mark because I was feeling a bit down. That helped.
I also find exercise helps - the kind that makes you so tired you think your legs are going to fall off! Something about endorphins. Whenever I feel the blues coming on, I go outside and run or walk.
thanks lairdy--will definately check out that psalm
thanks soph, yeah excersise is a good idea. I do have a lot of physical energy that just sort of goes nowhere, which maybe leads to anxiety with me.
ps- that's awesome that Sam did that. He's a good guy:)
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