No Reason to Despair

          In his classic book A Lifting Up for the Downcast Puritan writer William Bridge makes a startling statement when he writes, “A godly, gracious man, has no reason for his discouragements, whatever his condition be.”[1] An initial reading of this assertion may raise some ardent objectives in your soul. But after a careful consideration of these words, we must conclude that Bridge’s statement is, in fact, correct; verses such as Psalm 29:11 help us understand why. In this verse, David prays, “May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!” Throughout the twenty-ninth psalm, David reminds us that the Lord who sovereignly rules and reigns over all of creation is the ultimate source of strength and peace. He is the same God who split the Red Sea, delivered David from Goliath, and saved Daniel in the lions’ den. Like the glorious rainbow that God hung in the clearing sky after the flood as a sign of his covenant with Noah, verse11 hangs powerfully over this Psalm as an assuring proclamation of God’s compassion and care for those who worship him.
          It is encouraging to know that God’s people are infused with His divine strength and peace, even while living in a fallen world. With our almighty Creator, the Sovereign One who is the enthroned King over the universe, consistently providing His strength and peace to us, what reason do we have to despair? Even in the midst of life’s storms, when tidal waves are crashing down upon us, crushing our souls beneath their weight, God provides the strength and peace we need to face any trial with steadfast assurance of His tender care. Life may be hard, but God is always good and an ever-present help in times of need.
          The vast majority of believers want to believe that Psalm 29:11 is true, but our rebellious hearts question its validity. There is a civil war raging in all of our hearts; it is a battle that prevents many Christians from enjoying the benefits of God’s strength and peace. When we fail to remember what God has made available through the resurrection power of Jesus, we are prone to feeling downcast, fainthearted, and hopeless. The availability of God’s strength and peace should drive us to our knees in humble trust in the Lord to provide His tender provisions. But, unfortunately, our fickle hearts are impatient, and our affections are as tumultuous as a violent sea. Desperate to find immediate relief from suffering and pain, God’s people often seek strength and peace from temporary sources that eventually disappoint when they fail to deliver on their vain promises. It is in the moments of doubt-filled distrust that we should pay careful attention to the Lord’s words in Isaiah 48:18, “Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” When we pay careful attention to God’s word, and follow His commandments, His strength will be upon us and His peace will be ours to enjoy. But when we seek strength and peace in temporal sources, we fail to rest in God’s strength and enjoy the everlasting peace He provides. Is not God infinite? If He is truly infinite in strength, power, and mercy, He is powerful enough to sustain you through the discouraging valleys of life. Is God not loving? If he is truly loving, He is compassionate enough to never leave or forsake you. If these two characteristics of God alone are true, do you really have a reason to be downcast?
          Are you so disquieted in your soul that you have forgotten the power of God in your life? Have you forfeited God’s peace because you have allowed discouragement and despair to dominate your soul? Perhaps you resonate with Job’s crushing words of desperation when he cried, “I loathe my life” (Job 10:1). Job lost perspective, and perhaps you have as well. Later, in Job 19:25, he boldly proclaimed “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth.” Replacing hopeless despair with joyful hope is often as simple as believing Job’s second statement over the first. At times, you may feel defeated, but your Redeemer lives, and He is working all of life’s complications together for your betterment.
          If it is true that a godly person has no legitimate reason for his discouragements, whatever his or her condition may be, what is it that so often drives our discouragement into deep despair? There is, undoubtedly, more than one legitimate answer to this question. But likely the most elementary answer is a lack of trust in God. Failing to trust the Lord—particularly in times of trial—will always fan the flames of discouragement, disquieting our souls to the point of hopelessness. When doubt creeps in, and bone-crushing depression knocks on the door of your troubled heart, remember the encouragement of Isaiah: “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock” (Isaiah 26:4). Remember, though the mountains be cast into the sea, the redeemed remain God’s elect, never to touch the ferocious flames of hell. Given the reality of God’s power, mercy, and forgiveness, there really is no reason for God’s children to sink into the well of discouragement. Your Redeemer lives! And He lives in you, providing you with, not only your salvation, but with the power and strength to live joyfully and faithfully in the troublesome waters of our age.

[1] William Bridge, A Lifting Up for the Downcast (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2024), 71-72.