“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”
Psalm 103:2 [KJV]
Victor Harbour, South Australia
Earlier this week, I scrolled through the headlines on a news website. Just two of the top 25 articles were on ‘positive’ topics. One was on a town celebrating its historic past; the other was about a woman overcoming the challenges of her disability. The rest of the articles were on topics such as murder, drug dealing, natural disasters, animal cruelty, housing inequity, financial difficulties, life-threatening health issues, an obituary, war, negative politics and a missing person feared dead.
I feel this distribution of news articles reflects two things. Firstly, our world is filled with suffering and evil. Romans 8:22b says, “the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain”, crying to be delivered from the “bondage of corruption” (v21). We don’t just read about it in the news or watch others suffering: we all experience trauma, grief, health issues, financial difficulties, and mental, physical, emotional and spiritual struggles. Secondly, our sin-affected human nature means we tend to focus more on negatives rather than positives in our past or current situations. This is nothing new. The Israelites had been provided with manna, but complained about the lack of meat (Numbers 11), had God fighting for them but were intimidated by the Canaanites (Numbers 14), and had priests appointed by God yet wanted the human king of other nations (1 Samuel 8). Jude 16a describes ungodly people as “murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words”.
The negative perspectives of others, our world, and our hearts are more contagious than a winter cold. Just one complaint from just one individual can trigger a chain of negative attitudes towards an individual, workplace, church, organisation, situation and anything and everything else. When someone asks us for feedback, it’s criticism, not praise, that usually first comes to mind. When someone asks what takeaway food we want, sometimes we respond with, I don’t know what I want, but not that one! Yes, we’re often definite about what we hate, don’t want, or don’t like about ourselves, others, our workplaces, our government and our churches. Eternity, we remind ourselves, will be wonderful: there will be “no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4b).
But here on earth right now, it’s all doom and gloom. Maybe we become a denier, who wears an Instagram smile, refuses to hear about evil, and quotes verses such as “rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24). Or perhaps we take a morbid delight in pointing out that such things are proof we live in the End Times, where “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). Or we become overwhelmed and tell ourselves that “endur[ing] all things” is the best we can anticipate (1 Corinthians 13:7d). I’ve responded in all three of those ways at various times. God does tell us to rejoice, we do live in the End Times, and we are called to endure, but a negative-focused outlook endangers our Christian walk.
We are called to be followers of God (Ephesians 5:1). While God knows “the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19); He “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God hates evil (Proverbs 8:13) but “joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:7). When we are focused on the negative–the evil, the suffering, the people who don’t repent–we miss seeing what God sees. Invariably, we become caught up in the same sins that characterise ungodly people: discontent, covetousness, murmuring and complaining (Jude 16). We become discouraged in ministry, question God’s sovereignty, make our own lives miserable and infect others around us with that same spirit.
How do we handle living in a world full of discouragement without being discouraged ourselves? How do we acknowledge evil but not be overwhelmed by it? How can we be enabled to live and serve in the joy of the Lord? I was reading in the Psalms this week, and came across this short verse, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). At first I didn’t think the verse was directly relevant to this topic, but then realised this verse reminds us of three helpful considerations.
“Bless the Lord”. This phrase appears six times in Psalm 103, with King David encouraging us to lift our eyes from our circumstances and instead focus on the Lord. Christians often assume we know who God is. He’s the one who saved us, and who we talk to in prayer, right? But do we ever stop to marvel that this is the Lord, “the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28) and the One who “hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19). Yet He is the one who loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us (John 3:16), who cares for us like a Shepherd (Psalm 23), and who whispers, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13). Read the scriptures, and let the Holy Spirit lift your soul upwards. This Lord is not just an abstract being, but “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Cultivate your relationship with Him and praise Him in prayer. Nothing–not even abundant suffering or evil–can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39).
“O my soul”. Your soul is your eternal being, the part of you that can know God and talk to Him in prayer. I’ve noticed in my own life that when I am burdened, my prayer life decreases. Not only is this disobedient to God’s instruction, but it’s self-sabotage, because Psalm 55:22a says, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee”. Be a Hannah, who poured out her soul before the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15). Don’t know what to pray? Not sure what precisely is discouraging you? Overwhelmed? Worried it’s too petty? Just start talking to the Lord. Tell him you’re upset about the muddy footprints someone left on the carpet, that strange look your work colleague gave you, or that war occurring overseas. Whether your issue is big or small, experienced firsthand or third-hand, Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” I don’t know how it all works, but by faith, I believe that the Holy Spirit turns my jumble of words and woes into something acceptable to God.
“Forget not His benefits.” Be a thankful individual. I’ve spoken in previous blog posts about how often we are ‘passively’ unthankful, and neglect this important part of prayer. I was deeply challenged by a recent conversation with a girl who lost her younger brother in tragic circumstances. “When he died,” she said, “it was awful. But now I’m able to look back and thank the Lord for giving us the precious gift of those wonderful years we had my little brother.” Such an attitude can only come from a heart that trusts God and surrenders to His will. Oh Lord, give me a thankful, trusting heart, no matter what the circumstances. Help me to remember how good you have been to me in the past and to be encouraged by the record of your goodness in the Bible. As I read over Israel’s history, I see the goodness of God, preserving his people in an evil world. What do I see today? The same good God preserving his people in an evil world.
Our present world will continue to be affected by sin. But it is also true that our God enables us, promising to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), no matter how bleak things appear. Encourage yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6), and let the Holy Spirit lift your focus through the word and prayer, so that you can say with the Psalmist, “Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).
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