Turn Your Heart Around

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 43:5

At the lowest points in our lives, during the most difficult circumstances, our first thoughts are not toward thanksgiving and praise to God. Instead, we usually want to isolate ourselves and sit alone in a pool of self-pity.

Thousands of Bible verses encourage us to give thanks and praise to God – especially while we’re going through difficulty. David often voiced his pain, disappointment and hurt to God, which is recorded in the Psalms. But as his prayers demonstrate, he caught himself while explaining his circumstance and turned his heart around by praising God in the middle of the challenging hurdles in his life. He often looked back and reminded himself of God’s faithfulness.

As David prepared to face the giant, Goliath, he told King Saul, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37 NIV). No doubt David often reflected on the times that God saved him from his enemies – including slaying the giant.

No matter what our situation is, God is our salvation and our deliverer. No matter how difficult the situation is that we face today, we turn our heart around by choosing faith, by reminding ourselves who God is to us, what He’s done for us and how His hand of salvation will not fail to deliver us now. 

Today’s One Thing

Choose to praise God in spite of your circumstances. Give voice to where you’ve been and how He’s rescued you in the past. Let your praise to God save you and bring you into His joy.

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