You can listen to the audio here: Click here
Good morning, this is Michael De Rosa.
Let’s talk about getting out from under troubling situations by teaching you spiritual pushups
My scripture is the entire 13th chapter of the Psalms . Here we find David praying for help in time of trouble. His trouble were his enemies. Our troubles could be others, but it could also be things like unhealthy emotions or distressing thought
I think it is easy to identify with David’s situation as he begins to think that God forgot him, and that his enemies will always have the upper hand.
But then towards the end of this prayer, there is a turn around, and THAT is our spiritual pushup: in the midst of his cry for help, he realizes that he needs to trust in God’s lovingkindness. Namely, he has come experience his need to become wrapped up in God, and that starts to cause some shouts of Hallelujah
So, here is the deal. When life gets hard, push back by pushing up into the reality that God cares intimately for you.
(Hey, if you trust Him to take you to Heaven, don’t you think he can handle this too.)
In closing I want to invite you to our church website where I will elaborate on spiritual pushups. You might not want to miss it.
Not part of the audio post:
Here is my spiritual pushup ‘formula’ that works for me:
- when I have one of those mornings where I feel troubled, I do all I need to do to carve out time to spend with God. I do my best to become laser focused on the reality of the choice that is before me: either take time to deal with this situation or plan on very frustrating day. My natural instinct is wanting to fix the problem MY way, but I pull myself from this thought and begin, perhaps, listening to worship songs or reading His Word. I read His word slowly, meditatively, considering the parallels between what I am reading and my own life. (Remember that though the Bible was written a long time ago, and even though the culture was far different from our own, the principle I meditate on is God’s interactions with his people)
- I then begin to focus on what that enemy/troubling situation is, realizing that this is the tip of the iceberg, per se, and that there are things in my own life that are causing me to be distressed about this.
- I lay all these thoughts out before God. For me, I usually write in a journal, but occasionally play my guitar in order to find that avenue where I can freely express my thoughts and emotions to Him, while listening for His still small voice/His word.
- Once I have come to the place where I have released that difficulty to God, my natural response is to simply praise Him.
- After this, I usually feel quite refreshed because I got wrapped up in God/trusted in His lovingkindness. My distressing situation may or may not be gone, but I am now looking at it through a healthier perspective.
Blessings on your journey, and –again- let me know if I can help!
-Michael