WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.569 --> 00:00:04.890 What do you do when you still want God, but you don't feel close to Him? 2 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:10.150 There are seasons in the Christian life when our faith feels strong and worship comes easily. 3 00:00:10.730 --> 00:00:14.990 But there are other seasons when our hearts feel dry. Prayer may feel difficult. 4 00:00:15.520 --> 00:00:16.880 Scripture may seem distant. 5 00:00:17.510 --> 00:00:22.960 We may remember times when we felt much closer to God and wonder why things feel different now. 6 00:00:23.820 --> 00:00:28.130 Psalm 42 gives us an honest picture of that kind of spiritual struggle. 7 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:32.580 The psalmist says, As the heart panteth after the water brooks, 8 00:00:32.860 --> 00:00:35.670 so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 9 00:00:36.290 --> 00:00:43.400 He longs for God. He thirsts for God. And yet at the same time, his soul is cast down. 10 00:00:43.900 --> 00:00:49.190 He remembers worship. He weeps. He asks where God is. He even asks his own soul 11 00:00:49.300 --> 00:00:51.980 why it is so discouraged. 12 00:00:52.810 --> 00:00:58.380 But he doesn't stop there. Again and again, he tells his own soul, hope thou in God. 13 00:00:59.060 --> 00:01:04.340 So what do we do when our spiritual lives feel dry? How do we respond when we 14 00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:07.349 long for God but don't feel close to Him? 15 00:01:08.220 --> 00:01:13.020 This is A Soul That Thirsts For God today on Bible Plants. 16 00:01:30.010 --> 00:01:33.470 To live our lives in His light and shine. 17 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:40.370 Welcome to Bible Bytes, the podcast where we work to inspire faith one byte at a time. 18 00:01:40.890 --> 00:01:43.570 I'm your host, Randy Black. I'm an educator, technology specialist, 19 00:01:43.570 --> 00:01:46.890 and podcaster, and I've been a Christian for over three decades. 20 00:01:47.210 --> 00:01:50.470 And I'm glad that you've joined me as we continue our journey here through the 21 00:01:50.470 --> 00:01:52.820 Psalms together on Bible Bytes. 22 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:57.690 On our previous episode, we looked at Psalm 28 and considered what it means 23 00:01:57.690 --> 00:02:00.610 to recognize when God answers our prayers. 24 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:06.070 We saw David move from crying out to God to recognizing that God had heard him 25 00:02:06.290 --> 00:02:10.490 and finally to gratitude, rejoicing, and worship. 26 00:02:11.260 --> 00:02:15.380 But what happens when we're still waiting? What happens when we're praying, 27 00:02:15.510 --> 00:02:18.760 seeking God, and yet our souls feel dry? 28 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:22.690 What happens when we remember seasons when our relationship with God seemed 29 00:02:22.690 --> 00:02:29.360 more vibrant, but right now we feel discouraged, distant, or spiritually weary? 30 00:02:30.490 --> 00:02:35.760 Today, we turn to Psalm 42, where we encounter a psalmist who deeply longs for 31 00:02:35.760 --> 00:02:38.940 God while wrestling with profound discouragement. 32 00:02:39.490 --> 00:02:44.110 He begins with those familiar words, As the heart panteth after the water brooks, 33 00:02:44.310 --> 00:02:46.600 so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 34 00:02:47.380 --> 00:02:52.240 This is a picture of intense spiritual longing. The psalmist thirsts for God, 35 00:02:52.710 --> 00:02:54.419 yet his soul is cast down. 36 00:02:55.050 --> 00:03:00.340 He remembers worship, struggles with questions, and even asks why he feels forgotten. 37 00:03:01.040 --> 00:03:08.500 And yet throughout the psalm, he keeps returning to one declaration, hope thou in God. 38 00:03:09.610 --> 00:03:13.600 Today, we'll walk through Psalm 42 and consider what it means to seek God in 39 00:03:13.600 --> 00:03:17.650 a season of spiritual drought, to be honest about discouragement, 40 00:03:18.090 --> 00:03:22.060 and to place our hope in Him even when we don't feel close to Him. 41 00:03:23.380 --> 00:03:27.270 Before we open up God's Word together, let's begin with a word of prayer. 42 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:31.530 Heavenly Father, we come before you today thankful for the privilege of seeking 43 00:03:31.530 --> 00:03:33.730 you and bringing our hearts honestly before you. 44 00:03:34.510 --> 00:03:39.610 Lord, as we open Psalm 42, help us understand what it means to thirst for you, 45 00:03:39.970 --> 00:03:44.130 especially in seasons when our soul feels dry or discouraged. 46 00:03:44.720 --> 00:03:48.710 Give us wisdom to recognize the difference between what we feel and what is 47 00:03:48.710 --> 00:03:49.970 true about your character. 48 00:03:50.940 --> 00:03:54.710 Father, for those who feel distant from you today, remind them that they can 49 00:03:54.710 --> 00:03:56.060 bring that longing to you. 50 00:03:56.420 --> 00:04:01.130 Renew our desire to know you, to seek you, and to trust you even when we don't 51 00:04:01.130 --> 00:04:03.420 feel as close to you as we would like. 52 00:04:04.270 --> 00:04:07.300 Teach us to speak truth through our own hearts when discouragement comes. 53 00:04:07.620 --> 00:04:10.850 Help us remember your faithfulness and place our hope in you. 54 00:04:11.500 --> 00:04:16.680 And as we study your word today, strengthen our faith and draw our hearts closer to you. 55 00:04:17.350 --> 00:04:20.810 We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. 56 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:27.710 Our primary scripture for today is Psalm 42, a mascal for the sons of Korah. 57 00:04:28.470 --> 00:04:32.600 As we read, listen for the tension throughout this psalm. The writer deeply 58 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:36.960 longs for God, but at the same time he's experiencing profound discouragement. 59 00:04:37.670 --> 00:04:43.460 He remembers worship and fellowship with God's people, yet he finds himself separated from them. 60 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:49.010 He asks difficult questions, but he continues turning his attention toward God. 61 00:04:49.760 --> 00:04:56.180 And listen especially for the repeated question, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? 62 00:04:56.940 --> 00:05:04.420 That question appears twice, and each time it is followed by the same answer, Hope thou in God. 63 00:05:05.200 --> 00:05:09.860 As we read through Psalm 42, notice that the psalmist doesn't pretend that his 64 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:11.140 discouragement isn't real. 65 00:05:11.740 --> 00:05:20.089 Instead, he brings that discouragement before God and reminds his own soul where its hope belongs. 66 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:29.399 Psalm 42 As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 67 00:05:30.149 --> 00:05:36.610 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 68 00:05:37.399 --> 00:05:43.690 My tears have been meet day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 69 00:05:44.339 --> 00:05:47.080 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me. 70 00:05:47.410 --> 00:05:51.480 For I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, 71 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:55.839 with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude, they kept holiday. 72 00:05:56.730 --> 00:06:01.390 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? 73 00:06:01.970 --> 00:06:06.810 Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. 74 00:06:07.960 --> 00:06:10.760 O my God, my soul is cast down within me. 75 00:06:11.270 --> 00:06:12.779 Therefore will I remember thee 76 00:06:12.779 --> 00:06:17.050 from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonics, and of the hill of Mizar. 77 00:06:17.790 --> 00:06:22.990 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts. All thy waves and thy 78 00:06:22.990 --> 00:06:24.280 billows are gone over me. 79 00:06:24.960 --> 00:06:28.450 Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, 80 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:33.750 and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. 81 00:06:34.330 --> 00:06:38.090 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? 82 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:41.890 Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 83 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:49.710 As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me, while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 84 00:06:50.570 --> 00:06:55.240 Why art thou cast down on my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? 85 00:06:55.910 --> 00:07:02.650 Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance and my God. 86 00:07:04.060 --> 00:07:07.940 What a powerful picture of a soul experiencing spiritual drought. 87 00:07:08.620 --> 00:07:12.310 The psalmist thirsts for God. He remembers worship, pours out his soul, 88 00:07:12.650 --> 00:07:17.780 questions what he is experiencing, and yet continues to speak hope to himself. 89 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:21.650 Notice that his circumstances have not necessarily changed by the end of the 90 00:07:21.650 --> 00:07:26.350 psalm, but his focus repeatedly returns to God. 91 00:07:27.210 --> 00:07:33.180 He says, Hope thou in God. That repeated refrain gives us the central movement 92 00:07:33.180 --> 00:07:37.100 of this psalm and provides the foundation for our entire study today. 93 00:07:37.850 --> 00:07:42.290 So, let's take a closer look at the biblical setting behind Psalm 42 and the 94 00:07:42.290 --> 00:07:45.850 circumstances that we can identify from the text itself. 95 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:52.550 Psalm 42 begins with a simple identification to the chief musician, 96 00:07:52.840 --> 00:07:54.740 Maskell, for the sons of Korah. 97 00:07:55.620 --> 00:07:59.320 The sons of Korah were associated with the worship of God among the people of 98 00:07:59.320 --> 00:08:04.200 Israel, and what that background is important as we read this psalm. 99 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:09.060 The writer describes remembering a time when he went with the multitude to the 100 00:08:09.060 --> 00:08:12.920 house of God, joining with others in joyful worship and praise. 101 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:19.740 But now, something has changed. The psalmist appears to be separated from that experience of worship. 102 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:25.460 He remembers going with the people of God, but he's no longer experiencing that same fellowship. 103 00:08:26.130 --> 00:08:29.630 He says, when I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me. 104 00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:33.740 We should be careful about going beyond what Scripture tells us here. 105 00:08:34.429 --> 00:08:39.760 Psalm 42 does not identify a specific historical event that caused this separation, 106 00:08:40.140 --> 00:08:44.340 and it doesn't tell us exactly why the psalmist is in this particular location. 107 00:08:45.390 --> 00:08:49.179 We know that he refers to the land of Jordan, the Hermonites, 108 00:08:49.470 --> 00:08:55.450 and the hill of Mizar, but the precise circumstances behind his separation are not explained. 109 00:08:56.390 --> 00:09:00.170 What we can clearly see is the effect that this situation is having on him. 110 00:09:00.730 --> 00:09:06.100 He's thirsty for God. He's longing to come and appear before God. He's weeping. 111 00:09:06.440 --> 00:09:10.330 He remembers the worship he once experienced, and he's being questioned and 112 00:09:10.330 --> 00:09:13.299 mocked by others who ask, where is thy God? 113 00:09:14.010 --> 00:09:16.429 That question appears to strike at the heart of his struggle. 114 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:20.380 The psalmist isn't simply dealing with difficult circumstances. 115 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:25.960 He is wrestling with what those circumstances seem to say about his relationship with God. 116 00:09:26.380 --> 00:09:30.740 And yet, even in the middle of that struggle, he continues to turn toward God. 117 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:35.340 He calls God my God. He calls him my rock. 118 00:09:35.880 --> 00:09:40.380 He speaks of God's loving kindness. He describes God as the God of my life. 119 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:43.170 And most importantly, he continues to pray. 120 00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:48.320 That's important because Psalm 42 does not present spiritual discouragement 121 00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:50.480 as a simple absence of faith. 122 00:09:51.210 --> 00:09:54.980 The psalmist is discouraged precisely while he's seeking God. 123 00:09:55.270 --> 00:09:59.000 His soul is thirsting because he desires the living God. 124 00:09:59.770 --> 00:10:03.260 There's also a repeated pattern throughout this psalm. In verse 5, 125 00:10:03.260 --> 00:10:09.020 after describing his discouragement, he asks, Why art thou cast down on my soul, 126 00:10:09.270 --> 00:10:11.990 and why art thou disquieted in me? 127 00:10:12.760 --> 00:10:16.690 Then he gives his soul a command, Hope thou in God. 128 00:10:17.450 --> 00:10:21.679 That same pattern then appears again in verse 11. This repetition, 129 00:10:21.929 --> 00:10:25.010 it helps us understand the structure of the psalm. 130 00:10:25.660 --> 00:10:32.020 The writer experiences discouragement, remembers God, questions what he's experiencing, 131 00:10:32.350 --> 00:10:35.730 and then deliberately redirects his hope toward God. 132 00:10:36.640 --> 00:10:42.040 The circumstances may still be difficult. The emotional struggle has not simply 133 00:10:42.040 --> 00:10:45.760 disappeared, but the psalmist knows where his hope belongs. 134 00:10:46.290 --> 00:10:50.410 And that gives us the biblical setting for the lessons that we're going to explore today. 135 00:10:51.160 --> 00:10:58.260 Psalm 42 shows us that a believer can experience spiritual longing and discouragement at the same time. 136 00:10:58.950 --> 00:11:03.110 We can honestly acknowledge that our souls are cast down while still seeking 137 00:11:03.110 --> 00:11:08.309 God, remembering His faithfulness and telling our own hearts to hope in Him. 138 00:11:10.020 --> 00:11:14.290 With that context in mind, let's look first at what the opening verses teach 139 00:11:14.290 --> 00:11:18.049 us about a soul that truly thirsts for God. 140 00:11:19.280 --> 00:11:22.630 The first lesson that we can take from Psalm 42 is this. 141 00:11:23.160 --> 00:11:28.350 A soul that thirsts for God is still seeking God. 142 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:33.080 The psalmist begins with one of the most vivid pictures of spiritual longing in Scripture. 143 00:11:33.630 --> 00:11:38.590 As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 144 00:11:39.549 --> 00:11:46.500 Think about that picture. A deer that's desperately thirsty doesn't just casually look for water. 145 00:11:47.030 --> 00:11:52.679 It needs water. Its search is driven by an intense desire for something that's essential. 146 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:58.220 And the psalmist here says that is what his soul is like when he thinks about God. 147 00:11:58.690 --> 00:12:02.390 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. 148 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:08.410 Notice what he doesn't say. He doesn't simply say my soul thirsteth for relief. 149 00:12:09.059 --> 00:12:12.790 He doesn't say my soul thirsteth for my circumstances to change. 150 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:16.559 He says my soul thirsteth for God. 151 00:12:17.290 --> 00:12:22.040 That distinction is important. There are times when we come to God because we 152 00:12:22.040 --> 00:12:24.559 want him to change something in our circumstances. 153 00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:28.820 We want healing. We want provision. We want an answer to a difficult situation. 154 00:12:28.820 --> 00:12:30.230 We want a relationship repaired. 155 00:12:30.650 --> 00:12:34.900 We want the situation that's causing our distress to finally come to an end. 156 00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:38.070 And there's nothing wrong with bringing those needs before God. 157 00:12:38.750 --> 00:12:41.460 But Psalm 42 points us towards something deeper. 158 00:12:42.020 --> 00:12:48.720 The greatest need of the psalmist's soul isn't simply a changed circumstance. It is God Himself. 159 00:12:49.410 --> 00:12:51.730 That gives us an important question we have to consider. 160 00:12:52.610 --> 00:12:58.880 When we seek God, are we primarily seeking what He can give us, or are we seeking Him? 161 00:12:59.930 --> 00:13:03.980 The psalmist says, my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. 162 00:13:04.670 --> 00:13:09.010 He wants God. And that helps us understand something about spiritual dryness. 163 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:13.300 Sometimes we may experience a season when prayer doesn't feel easy, 164 00:13:13.430 --> 00:13:17.710 worship doesn't feel the same, and we don't experience the sense of closeness 165 00:13:17.710 --> 00:13:20.110 to God that we've experienced at other times. 166 00:13:21.050 --> 00:13:26.310 Our first response might be to assume that something is fundamentally wrong with our faith. 167 00:13:27.060 --> 00:13:31.610 But Psalm 42 gives us another way to look at it. The psalmist is discouraged 168 00:13:31.610 --> 00:13:33.610 precisely because he longs for God. 169 00:13:34.030 --> 00:13:37.130 His soul is thirsty. He wants to come and appear before God. 170 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.440 He remembers worship. He remembers going with the multitude to the house of 171 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:44.660 God. His longing itself tells us something important. 172 00:13:45.060 --> 00:13:48.240 He has not stopped desiring God. 173 00:13:49.070 --> 00:13:52.360 Again, he has not stopped desiring God. 174 00:13:53.070 --> 00:13:55.680 In fact, his desire for God is at the center of his struggle. 175 00:13:56.250 --> 00:14:01.390 This is why spiritual thirst can actually become an invitation to seek God more deeply. 176 00:14:02.230 --> 00:14:06.560 Jesus gives us a very similar picture in Matthew 5, verse 6. 177 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:09.940 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, 178 00:14:10.130 --> 00:14:11.380 for they shall be filled. 179 00:14:12.140 --> 00:14:14.720 There's something significant about spiritual hunger and thirst. 180 00:14:15.210 --> 00:14:20.990 It reminds us that we're not created to be satisfied by circumstances alone. We need God. 181 00:14:21.680 --> 00:14:25.720 And when we recognize that need, we can bring it honestly before Him. 182 00:14:26.380 --> 00:14:29.930 So maybe you're listening today and you feel spiritually dry. 183 00:14:30.340 --> 00:14:35.900 Maybe you remember a time when prayer seemed easier. Maybe worship once felt more vibrant. 184 00:14:36.400 --> 00:14:40.020 Maybe you opened Scripture and felt an immediate sense of encouragement. 185 00:14:40.650 --> 00:14:44.540 But now you struggle to concentrate or to feel spiritually engaged. 186 00:14:45.250 --> 00:14:52.240 Don't assume that the answer is to pretend that those feelings aren't there. Bring the thirst to God. 187 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.330 Tell Him, Lord, my soul is thirsty for You. 188 00:14:56.840 --> 00:15:01.330 Ask Him to renew your desire for His Word. Ask Him to draw your heart toward Him. 189 00:15:01.670 --> 00:15:05.580 Continue seeking Him even when the feelings just aren't there. 190 00:15:06.150 --> 00:15:10.720 Because the goal isn't simply to recover a particular emotional experience. 191 00:15:11.330 --> 00:15:13.500 The goal is to know God. 192 00:15:14.520 --> 00:15:18.310 The psalmist doesn't say, my soul thirsteth for a better feeling. 193 00:15:18.850 --> 00:15:25.450 He says, my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. That is where our hope begins. 194 00:15:25.920 --> 00:15:29.990 We may not always understand why we go through seasons of spiritual dryness. 195 00:15:30.300 --> 00:15:35.890 We may not immediately feel different when we pray, but we can still turn toward God. 196 00:15:36.380 --> 00:15:40.650 We can seek Him. We can call upon Him. We can open His word. We can worship Him. 197 00:15:40.940 --> 00:15:46.130 And we can trust that our longing for God is not something that we need to hide from Him. 198 00:15:46.760 --> 00:15:49.040 It is something that we can bring to Him. 199 00:15:49.870 --> 00:15:54.570 Psalm 42 begins with thirst, but that thirst is pointed in the right direction. 200 00:15:55.110 --> 00:15:58.060 The psalmist's soul is searching for the living God. 201 00:15:58.620 --> 00:16:02.730 And when our souls are thirsty, that is where we should turn as well. 202 00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:09.800 The second lesson that we can take from Psalm 42 is this. We can be honest with 203 00:16:09.800 --> 00:16:12.020 God about spiritual discouragement. 204 00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:16.030 The psalmist doesn't try to hide what it is he's experiencing. 205 00:16:16.630 --> 00:16:19.090 He says, my tears have been my meat day and night. 206 00:16:19.590 --> 00:16:23.160 He says, when I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me. 207 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:29.760 And then he asks, why art thou cast down on my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? 208 00:16:30.510 --> 00:16:34.500 It's not the language of someone who's pretending that everything's fine. 209 00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:40.730 The psalmist is hurting. He's discouraged. He feels separated from the worship of God's people. 210 00:16:41.170 --> 00:16:44.110 He's being mocked by those who ask, where is thy God? 211 00:16:44.780 --> 00:16:47.680 And yet he continues to bring all of this before God. 212 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:52.120 It's an important lesson for us because sometimes we think that having faith 213 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:54.290 means we aren't allowed to admit that we're struggling. 214 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:59.190 We may feel like we need to pray only positive prayers. We may think that we 215 00:16:59.190 --> 00:17:04.770 shouldn't tell God that we're discouraged, confused, lonely, or spiritually dry. 216 00:17:05.460 --> 00:17:10.040 But Psalm 42 shows us something different. The psalmist doesn't walk away from 217 00:17:10.040 --> 00:17:11.340 God because he's discouraged. 218 00:17:11.660 --> 00:17:14.000 He brings his discouragement to God. 219 00:17:14.730 --> 00:17:18.060 That's what makes biblical lament different from simply giving up. 220 00:17:18.530 --> 00:17:23.240 Lament acknowledges the pain, but it continues to turn toward God. 221 00:17:24.010 --> 00:17:29.420 The psalmist asks difficult questions. He says, I will say unto God my rock, 222 00:17:29.730 --> 00:17:31.420 why hast thou forgotten me? 223 00:17:32.330 --> 00:17:38.650 Man, think about that for a moment. He calls God my rock and then asks why God has forgotten him. 224 00:17:39.320 --> 00:17:46.440 Those two statements exist together. He feels forgotten, but he still calls God his rock. 225 00:17:47.300 --> 00:17:50.970 His circumstances are causing him to struggle with what he feels. 226 00:17:51.900 --> 00:17:57.770 But they've not erased what it is that he knows about God. And that distinction matters for us. 227 00:17:58.359 --> 00:18:01.420 There may be times when our feelings tell us that God is distant. 228 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:07.640 We may pray and wonder if he hears us. We may open scripture and struggle to feel encouraged. 229 00:18:08.250 --> 00:18:12.090 We may worship and wonder why our hearts don't respond the way they once did. 230 00:18:12.950 --> 00:18:17.670 Those experiences are real, but our feelings don't get to define God's character. 231 00:18:18.550 --> 00:18:21.580 God remains God even when our feelings change. 232 00:18:22.010 --> 00:18:27.140 And Psalm 42 gives us permission to acknowledge the struggle without surrendering our hope. 233 00:18:27.990 --> 00:18:32.720 The psalmist doesn't say, I feel discouraged, therefore God cannot be trusted. 234 00:18:33.570 --> 00:18:37.440 Instead, he says, why art thou cast down on my soul? 235 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.950 And then reminds himself to hope thou in God. 236 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:44.210 That is a crucial distinction. 237 00:18:45.030 --> 00:18:51.450 We can be honest about where we are without deciding that where we are is where we will remain. 238 00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:56.300 We can tell God that we're struggling. We can admit that we don't understand. 239 00:18:56.660 --> 00:18:59.530 We can acknowledge that we're spiritually weary. 240 00:19:00.140 --> 00:19:01.859 And then we can continue seeking Him. 241 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:06.770 The Apostle Peter gives us another reminder of God's care when he says in 1 242 00:19:06.770 --> 00:19:12.540 Peter 5, verse 7, Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. 243 00:19:13.250 --> 00:19:16.430 Notice that Peter doesn't tell us to pretend we don't have cares. 244 00:19:17.080 --> 00:19:22.520 He tells us to cast them upon God. That includes the burdens we understand and 245 00:19:22.520 --> 00:19:23.790 the burdens that we don't. 246 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:28.599 It includes the circumstances we can explain and the spiritual struggles that we cannot. 247 00:19:29.369 --> 00:19:34.349 If you're in a season of spiritual discouragement today, you don't have to hide it from God. 248 00:19:34.990 --> 00:19:39.810 Tell Him where you are. Tell Him that you're struggling. Tell Him that you feel distant. 249 00:19:40.340 --> 00:19:45.380 Tell Him that you want to desire Him more deeply and then keep turning toward Him. 250 00:19:46.369 --> 00:19:50.820 The psalmist's honesty doesn't lead him away from God. It becomes part of his 251 00:19:50.820 --> 00:19:54.220 conversation with God. That's an important pattern for us. 252 00:19:54.690 --> 00:19:58.460 Faith doesn't require us to pretend that we're never discouraged. 253 00:19:59.030 --> 00:20:03.020 Faith gives us somewhere to take our discouragement. We can bring it to the 254 00:20:03.020 --> 00:20:05.010 God who is still our rock. 255 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:09.030 We can tell him the truth about what we're experiencing while continuing to 256 00:20:09.030 --> 00:20:11.359 believe the truth about who he is. 257 00:20:12.090 --> 00:20:16.770 And sometimes when our souls are cast down, the first step toward hope isn't feeling different. 258 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:21.560 It's simply turning our face toward God and continuing to seek Him. 259 00:20:23.150 --> 00:20:27.460 And the third lesson that we can take from Psalm 42 is this. 260 00:20:28.210 --> 00:20:34.330 When our souls are discouraged, we need to speak God's truth to ourselves and choose to hope in Him. 261 00:20:35.810 --> 00:20:41.580 We've already seen the psalmist's thirst for God. We've seen his honesty about his discouragement. 262 00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:45.980 Now we come to the repeated declaration that gives this psalmist's hope. 263 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:53.080 He says, Why art thou cast down on my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? 264 00:20:53.810 --> 00:20:57.859 And then he tells his own soul, Hope thou in God. 265 00:20:58.660 --> 00:21:02.590 Notice what's happening. The psalmist is speaking to himself. 266 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:07.210 He doesn't simply describe how he feels. He challenges his own feelings. 267 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:09.730 Why art thou cast down on my soul? 268 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:15.010 And then he gives his soul a direction, Hope thou in God. 269 00:21:15.710 --> 00:21:19.760 That's important because our feelings can become very persuasive when we're discouraged. 270 00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:25.270 When we feel distant from God, we may begin to think that God must actually be distant. 271 00:21:25.950 --> 00:21:30.510 When we feel forgotten, we may conclude that God has forgotten us. 272 00:21:31.010 --> 00:21:35.220 When we don't see an answer, we may assume that God isn't working. 273 00:21:35.560 --> 00:21:40.560 But Psalm 42 teaches us to distinguish between what we feel and what we know. 274 00:21:41.320 --> 00:21:46.450 The psalmist feels cast down. He feels disquieted. He even asks God, 275 00:21:46.450 --> 00:21:48.040 why hast thou forgotten me? 276 00:21:48.650 --> 00:21:53.200 But he still knows where his hope lies. Hope, thou, and God. 277 00:21:54.090 --> 00:21:57.200 And that doesn't mean he's pretending that everything is fine. 278 00:21:57.570 --> 00:22:00.220 His circumstances haven't necessarily changed. 279 00:22:00.670 --> 00:22:04.560 His enemies are still reproaching him. His tears have not simply disappeared. 280 00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:05.880 His soul is still wrestling. 281 00:22:06.280 --> 00:22:09.260 But he chooses where to place his confidence. 282 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:14.280 And notice the reason he gives. For I shall yet praise him. 283 00:22:15.010 --> 00:22:16.690 That's a statement of future hope. 284 00:22:17.250 --> 00:22:20.950 He isn't saying I'm praising because everything has already been fixed. 285 00:22:21.470 --> 00:22:24.510 He's saying, in effect, I will praise him again. 286 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:28.660 There's something powerful about that kind of hope. Hope doesn't require us 287 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:31.119 to know exactly when circumstances will change. 288 00:22:31.540 --> 00:22:34.849 It requires us to know where our confidence belongs. 289 00:22:35.420 --> 00:22:40.150 The psalmist doesn't put his hope in his feelings. He puts his hope in his circumstances. 290 00:22:40.760 --> 00:22:43.210 He doesn't put his hope in the opinions of the people asking, 291 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:46.920 Where is thy God? He puts his hope in God. 292 00:22:47.550 --> 00:22:51.910 And that's a lesson we desperately need in seasons of spiritual discouragement. 293 00:22:52.590 --> 00:22:57.090 We can acknowledge what we feel without allowing those feelings to become the final word. 294 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:02.640 We can say, my soul is cast down, and then say, hope thou in God. 295 00:23:03.390 --> 00:23:08.730 We can say, I don't understand what God is doing, and still say, God is faithful. 296 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:12.970 We can say, I don't feel close to God right now, and still seek Him. 297 00:23:13.560 --> 00:23:20.300 We can say, I don't know when this season will end and still believe that God is worthy of our trust. 298 00:23:21.390 --> 00:23:25.670 Paul gives us a similar perspective in Romans chapter 15, verse 13. 299 00:23:26.320 --> 00:23:30.760 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may 300 00:23:30.760 --> 00:23:33.980 abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. 301 00:23:34.990 --> 00:23:39.130 Notice the scripture doesn't tell us to manufacture a hope through positive 302 00:23:39.130 --> 00:23:41.560 thinking. Our hope has a source. 303 00:23:42.310 --> 00:23:46.630 It is the God of hope. And that takes us back to Psalm 42. 304 00:23:47.130 --> 00:23:52.430 The psalmist's answer to spiritual discouragement isn't simply to try harder to feel better. 305 00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:55.480 His answer is to turn his attention toward God. 306 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:57.940 Hope thou in God. 307 00:23:58.770 --> 00:24:03.050 Now, there may be a season in your life when you have to say that to yourself repeatedly. 308 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:07.630 You may have to remind yourself tomorrow. You may have to remind yourself next 309 00:24:07.630 --> 00:24:11.280 week. You may have to open God's Word and remind your soul again. 310 00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:16.080 And that's okay. The psalm itself does exactly that. 311 00:24:16.590 --> 00:24:21.780 The refrain appears twice because sometimes, sometimes our hearts need to hear 312 00:24:21.780 --> 00:24:23.080 the truth more than once. 313 00:24:23.910 --> 00:24:27.570 So if your soul is discouraged today, don't ignore what you're experiencing. 314 00:24:28.060 --> 00:24:32.720 Bring it honestly before God, but don't stop there. Speak truth to your soul. 315 00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:40.080 Remember who God is. Remember His faithfulness. And tell your heart, hope thou in God. 316 00:24:40.510 --> 00:24:42.849 Because your feelings may change from day to day. 317 00:24:43.450 --> 00:24:46.820 Your circumstances may change. your understanding may change. 318 00:24:47.270 --> 00:24:50.910 But God, God does not change. 319 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:55.490 And even in a season when your soul feels dry, you can still look toward Him 320 00:24:55.490 --> 00:24:58.060 and say, For I shall yet praise Him. 321 00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:03.450 That is the hope of Psalm 42. The discouraged soul may still be thirsty. 322 00:25:03.970 --> 00:25:07.580 It may still be waiting, but it can still hope. 323 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:14.290 And its hope is not ultimately in the return of a feeling. Its hope is in God. 324 00:25:16.080 --> 00:25:19.970 So, what does Psalm 42 mean for us in our everyday Christian lives? 325 00:25:20.910 --> 00:25:24.230 If you find yourself in a season of spiritual dryness or discouragement, 326 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:27.160 there are several practical ways that you can respond. 327 00:25:28.030 --> 00:25:31.740 The first is to bring your spiritual thirst honestly before God. 328 00:25:32.630 --> 00:25:37.080 Don't pretend that you're closer to God than you feel. Don't be afraid to tell 329 00:25:37.080 --> 00:25:42.140 Him that your soul is dry, that you long for Him, or that you don't understand 330 00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:43.980 why it is that you feel distant. 331 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:49.480 The psalmist poured out his soul before God, and we can do the same. 332 00:25:50.860 --> 00:25:55.130 Second is keep seeking God even when you don't feel close to Him. 333 00:25:56.080 --> 00:26:01.750 Continue praying. Continue to read His Word. Continue to worship and continue 334 00:26:01.750 --> 00:26:03.300 to gather with God's people. 335 00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:09.710 Our spiritual disciplines shouldn't depend entirely on how it is that we feel on a particular day. 336 00:26:10.370 --> 00:26:15.210 Sometimes faithfulness means continuing to seek God even when the emotional 337 00:26:15.210 --> 00:26:18.150 sense of closeness just isn't there. 338 00:26:19.370 --> 00:26:22.930 Third, you need to remember what God has already done. 339 00:26:24.100 --> 00:26:27.670 The psalmist remembered going with the multitude to the house of God. 340 00:26:28.090 --> 00:26:32.460 He looked backward and remembered times of worship and of fellowship. 341 00:26:33.140 --> 00:26:36.630 And you can do the same. Remember God's faithfulness in your life. 342 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:40.530 Remember prayers that He's answered. Remember times he gave you strength, 343 00:26:40.530 --> 00:26:42.160 wisdom, comfort, or direction. 344 00:26:42.760 --> 00:26:46.560 Those memories don't mean that your current struggle isn't real, 345 00:26:47.130 --> 00:26:52.320 but they can remind you that your current feelings are not the whole story. 346 00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:56.920 Fourth is to speak biblical truth to your own heart. 347 00:26:57.700 --> 00:27:03.250 When your soul says, God has forgotten me, answer with what scripture tells you about God. 348 00:27:04.060 --> 00:27:10.160 When discouragement says there is no hope, remind yourself, hope thou in God. 349 00:27:11.030 --> 00:27:14.830 Don't simply listen to every thought that comes when you're discouraged. 350 00:27:15.370 --> 00:27:18.120 Test those thoughts against God's word. 351 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:24.730 And finally, give yourself permission to wait. You may not feel different immediately. 352 00:27:25.290 --> 00:27:27.670 You may not understand why you're walking through this season. 353 00:27:28.190 --> 00:27:33.830 You may not know when it will end, but you can continue seeking God while you wait. 354 00:27:35.060 --> 00:27:39.650 So here's a practical challenge for you for this week. When you recognize that 355 00:27:39.650 --> 00:27:43.490 your soul is discouraged, stop and identify what you're feeling. 356 00:27:43.890 --> 00:27:50.670 Bring it honestly before God. Then ask yourself, what does God's word tell me that is true? 357 00:27:51.750 --> 00:27:58.610 And finally, say the words of Psalm 42 to your own soul, hope thou in God. 358 00:27:59.590 --> 00:28:07.680 You may have to say it more than once, but keep seeking, keep trusting, and keep hoping in God. 359 00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:14.590 There are six truths from Psalm 42 that I want us to remember from today's study. 360 00:28:15.530 --> 00:28:19.660 First, spiritual thirst can exist alongside genuine faith. 361 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:24.790 The psalmist's soul thirsts for God because he desires the living God. 362 00:28:25.190 --> 00:28:31.060 A season of spiritual dryness does not automatically mean that our faith has disappeared. 363 00:28:32.470 --> 00:28:36.650 Second, we can be honest with God about discouragement. The psalmist doesn't 364 00:28:36.650 --> 00:28:38.850 hide his tears, his questions, or his struggles. 365 00:28:39.350 --> 00:28:41.490 He pours out his soul before God. 366 00:28:42.210 --> 00:28:46.720 We don't have to pretend that everything is fine when we're experiencing those struggles. 367 00:28:48.190 --> 00:28:53.070 Third, our feelings do not determine God's character. The psalmist feels forgotten, 368 00:28:53.300 --> 00:28:55.300 but he still calls God my rock. 369 00:28:55.970 --> 00:29:02.810 What we experience emotionally may be very, very real, but it does not change who God is. 370 00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:08.360 Fourth, remembering God's faithfulness can strengthen us in difficult seasons. 371 00:29:09.130 --> 00:29:14.020 The psalmist remembers worshiping with God's people. We can remember the ways 372 00:29:14.020 --> 00:29:20.470 God has worked in our own lives and allow those memories to remind us of his faithfulness. 373 00:29:21.800 --> 00:29:25.340 Fifth, we can speak biblical truth to our discouraged hearts. 374 00:29:26.090 --> 00:29:33.110 The psalmist asks, why art thou cast down, O my soul? And then tells himself, hope thou in God. 375 00:29:34.030 --> 00:29:38.780 We can acknowledge our feelings without allowing them to have the final word. 376 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:46.660 And finally, our hope is in God himself. We may not know when a difficult season 377 00:29:46.660 --> 00:29:49.440 will end or when our feelings will change, 378 00:29:50.030 --> 00:29:55.940 but we can still say with the psalmist, for I shall yet praise him. 379 00:29:57.210 --> 00:30:01.530 So remember the progression of Psalm 42. Thirst for God. 380 00:30:02.380 --> 00:30:11.890 Be honest about the struggle. remember his faithfulness speak truth to your soul and hope in God. 381 00:30:13.820 --> 00:30:20.280 Psalm 42 gives us an opportunity to slow down and consider what is happening in our own hearts. 382 00:30:21.090 --> 00:30:24.290 So take a moment and think about your relationship with God right now. 383 00:30:25.350 --> 00:30:29.590 First, is your soul thirsting for God himself? 384 00:30:30.540 --> 00:30:34.370 Are you seeking to know him more deeply or have your prayers become primarily 385 00:30:34.370 --> 00:30:37.550 focused on asking him to change your circumstances? 386 00:30:38.910 --> 00:30:42.120 Second, are you willing to be honest with God about your spiritual condition? 387 00:30:42.810 --> 00:30:47.210 If you feel discouraged or distant or spiritually dry, have you brought that 388 00:30:47.210 --> 00:30:51.590 honestly before him or have you been trying to hide those feelings from him? 389 00:30:53.050 --> 00:30:57.050 Third, what has God already done in your life that you need to remember? 390 00:30:57.750 --> 00:31:01.740 Think about prayers he's answered, times he's provided, moments when he gave 391 00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:05.660 you strength and seasons when his faithfulness became clear. 392 00:31:07.310 --> 00:31:11.190 Fourth, what are you currently telling yourself when discouragement comes? 393 00:31:12.090 --> 00:31:15.580 Are you allowing those thoughts to define your understanding of God, 394 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:21.000 or are you taking those thoughts back to Scripture and acting what God's Word says is true? 395 00:31:22.150 --> 00:31:27.070 And finally, can you say to your own soul today, Hope thou in God? 396 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:29.210 You may not have every answer. 397 00:31:30.070 --> 00:31:32.220 You may not feel spiritually strong. 398 00:31:33.150 --> 00:31:36.290 You may not know when your current season will change. 399 00:31:37.300 --> 00:31:43.640 But you can still choose where to place your hope. So, take some time this week to set with Psalm 42. 400 00:31:44.360 --> 00:31:48.400 Read it slowly. Pay attention to the questions that the psalmist asks, 401 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:53.110 the things that he remembers, and the hope he repeatedly speaks to his own soul. 402 00:31:53.930 --> 00:31:56.660 Then ask yourself one final question. 403 00:31:57.750 --> 00:32:02.590 When my soul is cast down, will I allow my feelings to have the final word, 404 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:06.650 or will I turn my eyes toward God and hope in Him? 405 00:32:09.180 --> 00:32:13.490 There may be seasons in the Christian life when your soul feels dry. 406 00:32:14.530 --> 00:32:17.770 You may still love God, but you don't feel as close to Him as you once did. 407 00:32:18.550 --> 00:32:21.030 You may still pray, but prayer feels difficult. 408 00:32:21.990 --> 00:32:26.250 You may still open God's Word, but you don't experience the same sense of encouragement 409 00:32:26.560 --> 00:32:28.180 that you remember from other seasons. 410 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:33.410 If that's where you are today, Psalm 42 gives you an important reminder. 411 00:32:35.100 --> 00:32:40.370 You can be honest about your discouragement without giving up your hope. 412 00:32:41.270 --> 00:32:44.830 The psalmist doesn't pretend that his soul isn't cast down. 413 00:32:45.690 --> 00:32:48.930 He doesn't hide his tears. He doesn't ignore his questions. 414 00:32:49.590 --> 00:32:52.670 But he also doesn't allow his discouragement to have the final word. 415 00:32:53.090 --> 00:32:55.980 He speaks out to his own soul. 416 00:32:56.860 --> 00:33:01.490 Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? 417 00:33:02.420 --> 00:33:05.440 And then hope thou in God. 418 00:33:06.370 --> 00:33:10.270 Maybe you need to say those words to yourself this week. When you don't understand 419 00:33:10.270 --> 00:33:12.510 what God is doing, hope in God. 420 00:33:13.370 --> 00:33:16.990 When you don't feel as close to Him as you would like, seek God. 421 00:33:17.790 --> 00:33:22.550 When discouragement tells you that God has forgotten you, remember who He is. 422 00:33:23.380 --> 00:33:28.360 And when you don't know when this season will end, remember the psalmist's words, 423 00:33:28.830 --> 00:33:30.550 for I shall yet praise him. 424 00:33:31.520 --> 00:33:35.700 Notice the word, yet. The psalmist isn't looking forward. 425 00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:40.880 He doesn't know exactly what tomorrow will bring, but he knows that his story is not finished. 426 00:33:41.870 --> 00:33:46.030 There may come a day when you look back on this season and you recognize things 427 00:33:46.030 --> 00:33:49.280 about God's faithfulness that you just cannot see today. 428 00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:54.180 So keep seeking him. Keep praying. Keep opening his word. Keep worshiping. 429 00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:56.920 Keep reminding your soul where its hope belongs. 430 00:33:57.630 --> 00:34:02.830 Your feelings may change. Your circumstances may change. But God? 431 00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:09.110 God remains faithful. And if your soul is thirsty today, don't run away from 432 00:34:09.110 --> 00:34:12.530 God because you don't feel close to Him. Run toward Him. 433 00:34:13.250 --> 00:34:20.820 Thirst for Him. Seek Him and keep hoping in Him. Because the God you are seeking is the living God. 434 00:34:21.410 --> 00:34:24.410 And you can trust Him with the season that you're walking through today. 435 00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:32.199 So this week, remember the words of Psalm 42 Hope thou in God And keep believing 436 00:34:32.520 --> 00:34:34.410 that you shall yet praise Him. 437 00:34:36.370 --> 00:34:40.190 As we finish up this study of Psalm 42, let's close out with a word of prayer. 438 00:34:41.520 --> 00:34:45.570 Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us through Psalm 42 that we can come 439 00:34:45.570 --> 00:34:52.150 before you honestly even when our souls are discouraged and our hearts feel dry. 440 00:34:53.080 --> 00:34:56.219 Lord, for those who are experiencing a season of spiritual drought today, 441 00:34:56.690 --> 00:35:00.270 help them not to run away from you, but to seek you more deeply. 442 00:35:01.190 --> 00:35:05.640 Renew their thirst for you, the living God, and draw their hearts toward your 443 00:35:05.640 --> 00:35:07.370 word and toward your presence. 444 00:35:08.170 --> 00:35:10.739 Father, when discouragement tells us that you have forgotten us, 445 00:35:11.210 --> 00:35:12.750 remind us of your faithfulness. 446 00:35:13.250 --> 00:35:17.850 Help us remember what you've already done and to trust you with what we cannot yet understand. 447 00:35:18.810 --> 00:35:23.760 Teach us to speak truth to our own hearts. When our souls are cast down, 448 00:35:24.130 --> 00:35:26.650 help us say, Hope thou in God. 449 00:35:27.520 --> 00:35:31.370 Give us patience when we are waiting, faithfulness when we are weary, 450 00:35:31.710 --> 00:35:34.270 and confidence when we cannot see what lies ahead. 451 00:35:35.199 --> 00:35:39.370 And remind us that even in a difficult season, we can look forward with hope 452 00:35:39.370 --> 00:35:41.360 and say, I shall yet praise Him. 453 00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:46.420 We ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus our Savior. Amen. 454 00:35:48.190 --> 00:35:51.199 Before we close out today's episode, I once again want to take a moment and 455 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:53.930 thank you for being a part of the Bible Bytes community. 456 00:35:54.580 --> 00:35:58.910 Today's study in Psalm 42 has reminded us that there may be seasons when our 457 00:35:58.910 --> 00:36:03.930 souls feel spiritually dry or discouraged, but we don't have to hide that struggle from God. 458 00:36:04.460 --> 00:36:09.270 We can bring our thirst, our questions, and our discouragement honestly before Him. 459 00:36:09.949 --> 00:36:11.590 And even when we don't feel close to 460 00:36:11.590 --> 00:36:16.380 God, we can continue seeking Him and reminding our souls to hope in Him. 461 00:36:17.370 --> 00:36:20.699 If this episode encouraged you, I encourage you to share it with someone who 462 00:36:20.699 --> 00:36:24.930 may be experiencing a season of spiritual discouragement, someone who feels 463 00:36:24.930 --> 00:36:29.489 spiritually dry, or someone who simply needs a reminder to keep hoping in God. 464 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:34.120 And as always, if you have a prayer request, a testimony, a question about Scripture, 465 00:36:34.230 --> 00:36:36.560 or something you'd like to share with the Bible Bytes community, 466 00:36:36.850 --> 00:36:38.060 I would love to hear from you. 467 00:36:38.469 --> 00:36:44.360 You can reach out through the contact form located on our website at bible-bytes.com contact. 468 00:36:44.810 --> 00:36:50.890 That's bible-bytes with a Y, B-Y-T-E-S.com contact. 469 00:36:51.890 --> 00:36:55.250 I also want to take a moment to thank those of you who continue to support Bible 470 00:36:55.250 --> 00:36:59.320 Bytes through your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support. 471 00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:04.260 Every message, every prayer, every share, and every contribution helps us to 472 00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:08.949 continue producing these episodes and reaching more 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simply by sharing an episode 483 00:37:47.080 --> 00:37:50.870 with a family member, a friend, a co-worker, or maybe someone from your church 484 00:37:50.870 --> 00:37:53.380 who might be encouraged by hearing God's Word. 485 00:37:54.820 --> 00:37:58.199 If you'd like another way to stay connected with Bible Bytes between episodes, 486 00:37:58.489 --> 00:38:00.290 we also offer the Bible Bytes newsletter. 487 00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:04.610 It's a simple way for us to share biblical encouragement, updates about the 488 00:38:04.610 --> 00:38:07.510 podcast, and occasional resources and announcements. 489 00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:13.449 If you'd like to receive these updates, you can subscribe by visiting bible-bites.com slash newsletter. 490 00:38:13.750 --> 00:38:19.190 That's bible-bites with a y, b-y-t-e-s dot com slash newsletter. 491 00:38:19.590 --> 00:38:22.780 We'd love to have you join us, and we're grateful for the opportunity to continue 492 00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:24.250 encouraging you through God's Word. 493 00:38:24.890 --> 00:38:29.010 Thank you for listening, thank you for praying, and thank you for being a part 494 00:38:29.140 --> 00:38:30.600 of the Bible Bytes community. 495 00:38:33.030 --> 00:38:37.469 Today, we've walked through Psalm 42 and considered what it means to seek God 496 00:38:37.469 --> 00:38:40.010 when our souls feel spiritually dry and discouraged. 497 00:38:40.699 --> 00:38:44.930 We've seen that a soul can thirst for God even in the middle of a difficult season. 498 00:38:45.560 --> 00:38:50.730 We've considered why we can be honest with God about our discouragement without giving up our faith. 499 00:38:51.300 --> 00:38:56.530 And we've seen how the psalmist speaks truth to his own soul and repeatedly 500 00:38:56.530 --> 00:38:59.540 reminds himself, hope thou in God. 501 00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:04.310 So, as you go through this coming week, remember that your feelings don't determine God's character. 502 00:39:05.030 --> 00:39:09.469 When your soul feels cast down, bring that discouragement honestly before God. 503 00:39:10.160 --> 00:39:15.110 Remember His faithfulness, continue seeking Him, and speak His truth to your own heart. 504 00:39:15.699 --> 00:39:20.080 You may not know when your current season will change, but you can still say, 505 00:39:20.350 --> 00:39:22.280 for I shall yet praise Him. 506 00:39:23.969 --> 00:39:28.160 Next week, we'll continue our journey through the Psalms with Psalm 46. 507 00:39:28.719 --> 00:39:33.080 In episode 113, our refuge and strength, we'll consider what it means to trust 508 00:39:33.080 --> 00:39:36.760 God when the world around us feels chaotic and uncertain. 509 00:39:37.370 --> 00:39:40.670 We'll look at the declaration that God is our refuge and strength, 510 00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:44.880 and we'll consider what it means to be still and know that I am God. 511 00:39:45.830 --> 00:39:50.560 So this week, if your soul is thirsty or discouraged, don't give up on seeking God. 512 00:39:51.020 --> 00:39:56.430 Bring your heart honestly before Him. Remember His faithfulness and keep hoping in Him. 513 00:39:57.199 --> 00:40:00.070 Until then, keep studying God's Word, keep growing in your faith, 514 00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:02.810 and keep trusting the Lord with whatever comes next. 515 00:40:03.340 --> 00:40:09.020 Join us next time on Bible Bytes, the podcast where we work to inspire faith one byte at a time.