The Opposite of Overwhelmed
Isaiah 61 is one of those powerhouse scriptures. It’s the passage Jesus read from in his hometown (Luke 4) stating His purpose and as the body of Christ, it’s both our purpose and promise.
Look at verse 3. After Jesus sets free, He looses incredible blessings upon His people.
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting…
Now, I remember learning part of this verse as His giving the “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Now I like to use a word I believe can all identify with: overwhelmed. That feeling of everything pressing down at once–it’s heaviness and fainting. It’s oppression in all its forms.
What struck me recently is that if I had written this or reasoned it out, I would have said it differently.
Maybe instead of heaviness, I would give garment of lightness. Or instead of fainting I would give a mantle of strength. Or instead of feeling overwhelmed, I would give relief.
God didn’t do that. He said the opposite of heaviness and crushing oppression is praise. And He gave it as a gift that we can put on like a coat in the winter.
Our Father didn’t say you would never encounter frustration or pain and Jesus made it just as clear. We experience heaviness in all sorts of degrees, but He provided a way for us to not have to live there.
Praise.
You don’t understand what’s at your fingertips and the power that’s contained in a humble lifting of your heart and voice to your King. That praise breaks bondages and chains off our your neck. It proves that you recognize the God of the universe is greater than your current situation and worthy of all you can give.
The rest of the verse goes on,
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
That beauty He gives, that gladness, that praise–it contains the strength you need to stand tall and show who you are, to show whose you are.
And He is glorified.
Next time you feel overwhelmed by life’s situations and heaviness threatens to take you down. Lift your voice and exercise the opposite. It won’t be easy, but you won’t be sorry.
What are your thoughts? Have you experienced the power of praise in a trying time?
What I take the time to praise, that means I have taken my eyes off myself and my problems. That is when I know God’s power is working in me and in my situation. Thanks for the encouragement today jason.
bill (cycleguy) recently posted..FaceSlap
God knows what He’s talking about, doesn’t He? Thanks Bill.
Interestingly enough, I’ve found some of the sweetest peace within my soul during the most difficult things in life. God is beyond the boundaries of the physical world that He created. Seeking God in all times brings peace, joy, and wisdom that can’t be explained in the physical world. To acknowledge God as the creator and sustainer of the cosmos along with affirming His sovereignty over it, is to revere in appreciation what is reality. God is good and that wisdom that we seek and grasp, I think brings a smile to our Father…
Such a great point! When we fix our hearts and praise on the transcendent One, we find ourselves lifted from the mire of current physical situations and problems. Thank you, Floyd. He’s so awesome to invite us into this relationship!
I grew up in the church all my life, and sometimes it kills me when I hear Christians say they don’t know what to do when they have attacks from the enemy etc. The bible gives us simple instructions to count it all Joy and how do we have Joy by Praising The Lord. Just a simple song of praise can turn your situation around.
Psalm 34 (Message)
34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.
2 I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:
3 Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.
4 God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.
5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.
6 When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.
7 God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.
8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
9 Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.
10 Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.
11 Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.
12 Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?
13 Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.
14 Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!
15 God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
16 God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.
17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.
18 If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
19 Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.
20 He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.
21 The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.
22 God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.
And even if the situation doesn’t immediately change, we get to see Him! Not a bad thing at all. Thanks Andrew.
When I take the time to focus on Him and praise Him, I remember that He is in control and that He has purpose for me… even in, or maybe especially in, trying times.
We are told the difficulties would come. We are never promised that we will avoid them altogether.
We are promised that in the midst of the trial, God is with us and at work in us.
As I remember Him and that I am His, the burdens of my trials are lessened.
Would we experience the depth of praise if we didn’t go through some hardships? I don’t know, but it makes me thankful that the hardships don’t own me. He gets my focus, praise, and adoration. Thanks so much, Dusty.
One of the perks of working an hour away from where I live is that every morning, I have an opportunity to not only feed myself with great teaching, but worship God. It has drastically changed me the past few months.
Jason Vana recently posted..Two-Way Street
I hear ya. One of the pitfalls of working at home is that it’s easy to get in work mode and forget everything else--even as a pastor. I had to start setting aside one hour every morning for dedicated prayer before any work. It has made a huge difference in my heart and life! Thanks you, Jason.
Should have read this yesterday. I had my moments of down in the dumps moments that I could have remembered to find my praise in. Great reminder to start today though!
Philip recently posted..A Believer Who Doubts
Yeah, there are stretches where I need this reminder about every day.
Thanks Philip. Glad to encourage!