King David of Israel once wrote, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”
Indeed, is that not the question that you and I are asking every day? Don’t you long to escape from the loneliness, sadness, anxiety, insecurity, hurt, addiction, obsession, etc.?
The unfortunate reality is: the world we live in is broken. The world we live in is tainted by sin, and because of that sin, death is a pervasive part of life. Evil and suffering are a natural part of life. Every day, we have to reckon with the fact that the world we live in is not what it was meant to be.
So what do we do? How do I find healing for my soul while living in a world that wars so heavily against it?
The good news is that we can find shelter amidst the troubles of life! There are two powerful steps we can take, and they come from a short psalm in the Bible consisting of only three verses.
Step 1: Take time to sit quietly with Jesus
In Psalm 131:1-2 (ESV), David writes:
“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
The first step in healing my soul is to give myself a break — a time to relax. It’s when I take the time to slow down, breathe, and calm my soul down. There are many questions and problems in my life that I don’t have the answers to. But I don’t need to have those answers. I have permission to lay those concerns aside and just sit quietly in the presence of Jesus. I have permission to simply be.
Step 2: Breathe in the healing truth of the gospel
In Psalm 131:3 (ESV), David concludes by saying:
“O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.”
It is not enough to merely relax and take my thoughts off of my worries. I need a reason for hope. I need something to look forward to that is greater than all the brokenness around me. This hope comes from the gospel and the promise of glory I have as a child of God.
This step is about taking the time to contemplate the comforting truths of the gospel. Not just thinking about them, but taking the time to just feel them. It’s about taking the time to really feel hope, cleansing, redemption, reconciliation, God’s love, and the reality that I will dwell with Christ forever.
Here are six truths I can soak in as I rest in the presence of Christ:
I am entirely forgiven of all of my sins — past, present, and future — because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)
I am fully reconciled to God by virtue of his grace and not my works — one with him and dearly loved by him as his child. (Ephesians 2:4-9)
Having been purified by the blood of Christ, I am free from all shame and can sit in God‘s presence with a clean conscience. (Hebrews 9:14)
If I am in sin or in error, I can trust the Lord himself to correct and guide me, rather than taking on the burden of perfecting myself. (Psalm 23:3)
I can rest in the fact that my life is in God’s hands, and that as my Father, he will take care of my health, mental, financial, relational, and spiritual needs. (1 Peter 5:7)
I can rejoice in hope that God will one day restore his creation and make all things right, and that I will dwell with him forever. (Revelation 21:1-4)
Take the time to quietly reflect on these truths, letting them sink in and comfort your soul. Breathe in deeply the peace, healing, love, and comfort you have as God’s beloved child.
Our souls are often weary, burdened, and hurting because we’re busy and occupied with worldly matters. This is an invitation to slow down and really sit with Jesus. This is an invitation to set your heart on the hope that God has called you to. As you do this, my prayer is that the gospel will heal and encourage your soul!
Isaiah 53:4–5 (ESV):
[4] Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
[5] But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
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