Articles and thoughts by Steve Green.
Who will you listen to?
January 12th, 2009
According to Welsh psychologist Cliff Arnall, January 22 is the most depressing day of the year. He attributes this to several factors.
Short days and wintry grey skies eventually take their toll and make our outlook bleak. As Christmas bills begin to pile up, the blues set in. Three weeks into New Year resolutions, we tend to fall back into the same old patterns and failed attempts to change lead to the doldrums. Kids are back in school and the grinding routine of life and work seems to squelch whatever holiday cheer was left. If you weren’t depressed, his analysis just might do it!
Maybe you have escaped Arnall’s prediction and are doing just fine. The reality is, however, that at one point or another we will all be hit with the hard stuff of life that can knock the wind out of us and leave us feeling quite emotionally depleted. Whether it happens on January 22 or some other day of the year, we need to have a plan. It will require more than a temporary distraction, more than positive thinking, more than trying to just paste a smile on our faces.
In his book “Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure”, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives some wise instruction from Psalm 42. He writes, “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc.
Somebody is talking. Who is talking? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment was this; instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. ‘Why art thou cast down, O my soul?’ he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says: ‘Self, listen for a moment, I will speak to you.’…
The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: ‘Why art thou cast down’– what business have you to be disquieted?
You must turn on yourself, upbraid yourself, reprove yourself, exhort yourself, and say to yourself: ‘Hope thou in God’– instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, Who God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. (That is, constantly preach the gospel to yourself!)
Then having done that, end on this great note: defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world, and say with this man: ‘I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance, who is also the health of my countenance and my God.’”
There’s real hope for the January 22nds in our lives.
9 Comments »
Very well said Steve. Often times I can focus on the negatives live delivers, instead of the daily joys around me. My 92 year old grandmother stated this ‘live life in love and forgiveness because its much more fun that way’. Sometimes we need to forgive ourselves. And sometimes that is the hardest thing in this world to do. Thank you for sharing, it meant a lot to me.
Comment by Jeff Hooper — January 13, 2009 @ 12:55 am
Steve,
This reminds me of the idea of “which dog are you feeding”! Thanks again for your wise words, lest any of us be found foolish.
In reading the introduction to a new study Bible of mine, I love the thought that the Word of God speaks and sufficient it is. As good as the footnotes are, only His Word can transform one… if listening is mirrored in obedience.
You are always a blessing to so many…that is what I love about your concerts. You preach through song and word. Bless you and Marijean.
In HIm,
Natalie
Comment by Mrs. Mark Kleefisch — January 15, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
It is very truth what you said, and I agree. I also think that God is the only one who can help us to survive that. And that He is the one who can save us from it.
Comment by Karlah — January 17, 2009 @ 1:02 am
no comment, just listening . . .
Comment by Donna — January 22, 2009 @ 8:57 am
hello brother. quisiera saber cuando viene a Mexico para presentar su musica ya que me gusta como alaba al Señor de manera tan especial. su letras manda el mensaje correcto. siga asi y que Dios le ayude a componer tan preciosas. melodias
Comment by rosalba — January 22, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
Hi Steve, my brother Ted turned me on to your music years ago. He sang “He holds the key” for his church not long before he found out that he had mesothelomia and died not long after that. Your music is beautiful. I’d buy it all if I could, but times are tough. Fortunately, we have the internet.
Thanks for lifting my spirits.
Peggy
Comment by Peggy — January 26, 2009 @ 5:29 pm
January 22 was a good day for me - my son’s 6th birthday! January 16 - now there’s a bad day. My mother’s first birthday since passing in September. Life has not been the same since. Your words are encouraging. It IS time to say “Why art thou cast down,O my soul?” After a short but vicious battle with her cancer that left my family stunned, it IS time to defy self and recapture the focus of life - to glorify God. Thanks for your words.
Comment by Michelle — February 2, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
Hi Steve:
January 22nd is a significant date for me because that was my last day of pouring coffee for a living. I voluntarily terminated my job (I’ll spare you the details) and stepped out in faith knowing that God will provide for me. OK… I’m sure this decision seems “crazy” in light of the widespred economic and employment difficulties but I believe it was necessary for me to grow in my walk with God (Is. 40:31). My integrity and spiritual health was beginning to suffer as a result of my job. And… I certainly wasn’t gaining the world given my lack of pay and hours worked - LOL! I guess what I’m trying to say is that I needed to brush the dust off my feet (and faith!) and move forward to a higher calling.
That being said… the month of February has been extremely difficult (ie. vanishing money and failing health among other things). Consequently, I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve failed several times in my faith journey. BUT, “…great is Thy faithfulness, Oh God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with Thee!” I’m reminded of the lyrics to your song “That’s Where His Mercy Begins”.
When we are weak, HE is strong - ALWAYS. Hallelujah for the precious gift of Jesus!
Sing-cerely,
Mark La Flamme (Eph. 2:8,9)
1 John 4:6 - “Listen… way beyond the silence”
Testify to Love by Avalon - “I’ll be a witness in silence when words are not enough…”
Comment by Mark La Flamme — February 28, 2009 @ 12:07 am
Dear Steve:
We can admire all we see, but we can only pick one. My decision is to always choose God!
I’m reminded of the lyrics to this beautiful hymn:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full into His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In light of His glory and grace!
PRAISE BE TO GOD THE CREATOR!
Sing-cerely,
Mark La Flamme (aka. MC Stretch)
1 John 5:4 - Faith is the victory!
Comment by Mark La Flamme — March 5, 2009 @ 3:03 am