How to Get Courage and Confidence, by Pastor Marc Heinz.

You know at various times in our lives most of us will experience fear, discouragement, loss or loneliness. Believe it or not, sometimes even Christians feel such things. In fact there may be times in our lives when we are so discouraged or hurt that were tempted to wonder if God even knows or cares about our situation.

In Psalm 77 the Psalmist, Asaph was having one of those moments. He was in anguish. He felt discouraged and alone. He was hurting and it would seem that he was about ready to throw in the towel and give up. Listen to the first ten verses:

“My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; My voice rises to God, and He will hear me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; My soul refused to be comforted. When I remember God, then I am disturbed; When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. Selah. You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, The years of long ago. I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, And my spirit ponders: Will the Lord reject forever? And will He never be favorable again? Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? Has His promise come to an end forever? Has God forgotten to be gracious, Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? Selah. “Then I said, "It is my grief, That the right hand of the Most High has changed."

These verses paint a picture of distress and anguish, as Asaph searches his heart for answers. All he can do is think about the past when things were better. And his sleepless nights and searching spirit produce no resolution or answers, only agonizing questions that strike at the very heart of his faith. It’s as though he has become so discouraged that he can’t even pray and his attempts at prayer give way to anguished meditation. The meditation culminates in wrenching questions and we see the apparently hopeless conclusion that God has changed.  Read more...