Summer on the Otago Coast

Are you feeling busy? Or tired? Is the hectic London life is leaving you weary? If you don’t feel like this now, you will at some point. So how do we cope with it?

The Bible give us lots of patterns of Christian thinking (that fit with reading God’s word, and talking to him in prayer) to help us cope with life in this world. This week we consider one of those patterns: thinking about God.

It might not be the first thing we would turn to when wondering how to cope with our minds and lifestyles. Sure, we ask God for help. But do we believe that taking time to think about God, to preach truth about Him to our weary souls, would be sustaining?

‘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.’ Psalm 42:11

To start with the Psalmist questions himself (I do that too—a lot!). Did you notice what he does next? He doesn’t leave his internal conversation un-ended, rather he preaches to himself about God. He tells himself concrete and real things. God has been worth hoping in in the past, he’s worth hoping in again. God has been, and will be his salvation. God is God, in charge and in control.

Psalm 42:1-10 is an extended reflection on God’s character. The Psalmist stopped, and took time to consider who God is: the living One (Psalm 42:2), whom the Psalmist delighted to worship (Psalm 42:4), who has protected him by his steadfast love through good times and bad (Psalm 42:8).

Circumstances means God feels far away; the Psalmist is weary, downcast, in turmoil. But his knowledge of God hasn’t changed. He chooses to remember God, he chooses to meditate on His character and so he chooses to preach hope to his soul.

Next time you find life leaving you weary, next time it all feels too hectic to cope with, stop. Consider the character of your God. Use Bible truth from Sunday’s sermon, your quiet time, or a Psalm. Take time to ponder his character. You could take the truth that God is our salvation and then ask yourself things like:

  • Do I really believe it?
  • How would my thinking change if I believed God saves me from sin/this world?
  • When do I not think God is able to save?
  • How does God’s salvation worked in Jesus add to my confidence?
  • How does God’s salvation give me hope for the future?

Ask God to help you believe he’s really like that. Then keep preaching truth to your soul. It might not leave you feeling wonderfully warm and fuzzy. But it is a sustaining, hope-inspiring, and I hope, refreshing way of thinking.

This post is talking about the wearying tiredness common to busy London lives. There are also medical reasons for tiredness. See your doctor if you are concerned you are experiencing these.


Picture: russellstreet