On Fear: Psalm 34:1-22

Psalm 34 describes God's endless willingness to be called on for help, and how he acts on behalf of those who call.

Favorite verse: "... But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing." (v. 10) Note that those who seek the Lord may still be wanting but will not be left wanting of anything good for them. But also there is patience. One may pray and ask for something they are a) wanting and b) is good for them but God will deliver it in His time which is at the right time. Any sooner or later and it would not befit His intentions for your life.

Seeking Direction: Psalm 32:1-11

These passages focus on the concept that forgiveness brings joy.

"When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long." (v. 3) I have long felt that a mindset of complaint is the result of a lack of thankfulness and also the result of a corrupted outlook. I think this passage is saying something similar, that corrupting force being sin from within, unforgiven and festering because of it. Creating an unsettled, habitually out-of-place sense in our being.

I am not saddled with so much guilt, for that I am glad. But I must remember this and share it with those I encounter who struggle with this kind of pain.

On Discouragement: Deuteronomy 31:1-8

This passage has Moses telling Israel and also Joshua not to be discouraged from what lies before them. Remarkably, this is despite Moses being told by God he will not "cross the Jordan," that he may not proceed with his people. An unmitigated expression of faith from Moses.

The "Lord Your God" will "cross before you." (v. 3) God will go before me into those places which I must go but are either afraid or otherwise reluctant to do so. This might be a place or source of great discouragement, upset, etc. It can be a place in the past that I am not able to go but must do so.

"He will destroy these nations before you ..." (v. 3) God will in some way eradicate or otherwise render harmless that which threatens and discourages me. God's total power at work.

"... and you shall dispossess them." (v. 3) Taken as a whole, the sentence implies there is an entity from which you will take what is to be yours but that they wrongly possess. So, as with me being saddled with these entities of my past, they would seem to own my peace and wrongly possess it. God can be relied upon to liberate my peace from such places.

"The Lord will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og ..." (v. 4) Through God's empowerment, the Israelites completely annihilated Sihon and his people, as well as Og. An unsettling reference to the total violence but it is perhaps so because we look from a mortal view. It has struck me that from God's perspective, death on Earth is of no consequence in his greater scheme. Conversely it is a terrifying thing for those of us who lack the faith in anything other than what is before us. With that said, this passage is simply describing God's total power.

"The Lord will deliver them up before you ..." (v. 5) God will bring them to your feet and empower you to destroy those entities which seek to wrongly possess what is yours.

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." (v. 6) This is the central message to the people to do away with discouragement.

Things you should be: strong, courageous. Things you should not be: afraid, trembling. God is with me, He will not fail or forsake me. I should totally rely on God. He has complete reliability. I can face what discourages me when I follow God into that place, against that source.

Moses then goes on to reiterate this especially for Joshua, detailing to him that it is God who will go ahead of him.

Returning

I've decided to return to this endeavor, that being to journal.

A year ago September I got hired by an old friend of mine to do what I do for a lot of money. A month ago, he let me go. I'm tired of working for fools. That was also a profoundly disappointing experience. Anyway, I'm looking for another job. More on that later. It's very confusing because I thought God wanted me there.

I've been dipping in and out of the Bible half-heartedly for the last year. I've been frustrated by a Bible study group that didn't work out, then a friend who wanted to meet but soon after didn't have the time. So I've identified a reading list that will give me some solo progress. Time to assert the discipline to do it.

I will commence the first lesson tomorrow. I will do each lesson and journal my thoughts on the passages.