More than once I have felt like drowning in a glass of water. More than once I have felt that my strength weakens and I stop without the desire to continue advancing. Many times we go through moments that stop us in our tracks and make us question whether we can continue or not. As a child of God and as a worshiper, I have found myself in that situation many times.
But today I don’t want to talk to you about my emotions or about a particular difficult situation. Today I want to talk to you about how through worship the Lord changes your perspective at absolutely every moment. When we are sad, when we are angry, when we are worried, when we are hurt, when we are happy and when we are worried. Worship allows us to take our eyes off the problem and onto God.
Psalm 42 shows us how in the midst of difficult situations, our spirit can be sad. We see a child of God who feels swamped in his worries and discouragement, but there is something we must learn from this psalm.
Verse 3 briefly describes the suffering this worshiper was going through:
«Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?‘» (Psalm 42:3 NLT)
How many times have we felt as the psalmist did? I’m sure there have been many. But despite his suffering, despite the fact that he felt discouraged and sad in his spirit, the psalmist recognized that, in the midst of worship, everything that discouraged his spirit dissipated in the presence of God.
In worship we refocus our gaze on God. Not how big the problem or concern may be, but how big God is and that we can rest easy knowing that He has everything under His control.
The psalmist concludes as follows:
“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11 NLT) When you put your hope in God and praise Him in the midst of your trial, your perspective changes and your spirit returns to rejoice in Him. Worship changes your perspective , encourages your spirit and mobilizes the armies of God in your favor.
