Find Joy In Today

I was so humbled and overwhelmed with joy standing alongside my husband as he received his ministerial ordination, a moment that felt like the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering faith. We stood on stage with a handful of other ministers who were receiving their ministerial ordinations as well. As I looked at him, I could see the blend of nervousness and excitement reflecting back at me, a testament to the incredible responsibility he was about to embrace. It was a day not just for him, but for us as a couple, marking the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.

As we said goodbye to being youth pastors and hello to becoming senior pastors, a wave of nervousness washed over me, filling my mind with uncertainty about the transition. My initial idea of being in ministry was that everyone liked you, every interaction was a positive one, and everything ran smoothly; however, the reality of pastoring a church proved to be more complex and difficult.

A few months into our first senior pastorate, reality struck. What we thought was going to be the easiest, greatest job ever, became the most difficult experience we would ever walk through. I didn’t know how mean a congregation could be until I experienced it firsthand. I can remember the nights of crying out to God and asking him how long we had to endure the false accusations and the hateful speech. I felt like God was silent in those darkest nights of prayers.

But each Sunday morning we would wake up, pray, pull ourselves together, and lead a congregation in worship and a powerful sermon. In the face of false accusations and rumors, we praised God anyway. Their actions were not a reflection of God, but of the enemy trying to stop what God was wanting to do in their midst.

About a year later, something wonderful happened that would forever change our lives and our community. Revival broke out in our little church, igniting a flame of hope and healing that spread like wildfire. God healed the hurts and wounds that people had caused us, transforming bitterness into forgiveness and despair into joy. The atmosphere in the church was electric, filled with a sense of purpose and renewal. Lives were being saved and changed all for the glory of God, as broken individuals found peace in His grace and love. Many souls stepped forward, sharing testimonies of healing, redemption, and miraculous transformations, and the spirit of unity among us grew stronger with each passing day. It became clear that this revival was birthed out of the pain and despair we had to walk through.

How Do you Deal With Despair?

Psalm 13 NLT gives us a great analogy of how to deal with despair. David wrote this Psalm during one of his grievous moments in life. It reads:

Psalm 13

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
    How long will you look the other way?
² How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
    with sorrow in my heart every day?
    How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

³ Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
    Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
⁴ Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
    Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love.
    I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord
    because he is good to me.

Have you ever felt like David? It seems like everything around you is falling apart and the enemy seems to be winning, with challenges rising on all sides and hope dwindling. In times of struggle, when despair threatens to take hold, it’s easy to feel isolated in our pain. But let’s look at how David dealt with his feelings; he didn’t let his circumstances define him. Instead, he turned to prayer pouring out his heart in psalms and seeking strength through his faith. David reminded himself of past victories, reflecting on how he had overcome difficulties before, drawing courage from his trust in God. In his moments of desperation, he found peace in remembering who he serves.

So, what can we learn from King David’s response to despair?

1. He comes to God, asking why God has forgotten him. When you are in a trial and feel like God has left you, come to Him and pour out your heart to Him.
2. David describes the depth of the problem in the first three verses. He is honest with his feelings.
3. David prays for God to restore him (vs. 3-4)
4. David trusts God and recounts God’s character. (vs. 5-6) Notice that David is trusting and rejoicing before the answer comes.
5. David sings praise to the Lord. (vs. 6) He praises God because of His faithfulness and His generosity.

Praising God Through Despair

If we look in the Psalms, we will find many of the ones written by David have a similar message that resonates deeply with us. Cry out to God in the midst of your struggles, for He listens to our hearts. Be honest with your feelings, expressing not only joy but also sorrow, doubt, and confusion, as this authenticity brings us closer to Him. Remember God’s faithfulness in times past, reflecting on the many ways He has guided and supported us through life’s challenges. Give your problems over to God, surrendering the heavy burdens we carry, knowing He will provide strength and peace. Finally, praise Him while you are waiting, cultivating an attitude of gratitude that can transform our perspective even in the most difficult times, ultimately drawing us nearer to His loving presence.

As hard as it may be, we need to give praise to God, for it is in these moments of challenge that our faith is truly tested and strengthened. By putting our eyes on Him and singing praises to Him in the midst of despair, we begin to shift our perspective, allowing ourselves to be filled with a renewed hope that can carry us through even the darkest of times. Praise breaks the chains that bind us, liberating our spirits and freeing us from the weight of our worries. It takes our eyes off of our circumstances and puts them on the God of miracles, the One who has the power to transform our struggle into testimony and our pain into purpose. In this act of worship, we find solace and strength, enabling us to rise above our difficulties with unwavering faith and trust in His divine plan.

Bible Verses To Meditate on in The Middle of Despair…

Isaiah 41:10

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 34:17-18

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

1 Peter 5:7 AMP

“casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].”

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

2 Corinthians 16-18

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

John 14:27

 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Psalm 42:11

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Conclusion

There will be many times in our lives when we will feel despair and all alone. If we are not careful, we can allow this despair to drive a wedge between us and God feeling like He doesn’t care about us or our needs. It is here when we must quickly pray and refocus our eyes on God by remembering all of the other times He has brought us through when we felt this way. We need to realize that our feelings are not the ultimate indicators of what is true. Feelings do not have the final say! Even though things may look hopeless, God is working in ways we can not see. He has the final say in any given situation. Praise Him for all He has done in your life and praise Him in the middle of the storm and you will find God and experience His perfect peace.