My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:3
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Psalm 42:5
I feel badly when I write sad blogs that feel like pity parties (Life in the cracks). But the truth is, I am stumbling toward God. I may feel bad emotionally, but I’m still praying, and hoping and believing that good will come. That is why this morning I sat down to read from a book that has been very helpful to me over the past year: Spiritual Depression, by Martin Lloyd Jones. It is a collection of transcribed sermons (which can also be downloaded online at Monergism if you’d rather listen to them).
The scripture being preached was Philippians 4:10-13:
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Now it would behoove anyone struggling today with depression or sadness or grief to download the book and read it. That would be the best thing. But I wanted to share with the dear reader that when I read this sermon, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. I felt, well, brand new. And I just had to share how good God is and how He met me in my need.
It’s good to know that every new story is really just an old story being retold. That is what I am considering today. The Bible is God’s love letter to us. It is the true story of our creation, the reason why we are alive, and the hope to which we can cling when life turns us upside down. It is the most beautiful story ever written. So when MLJ was preaching this passage, he was really just harkening back to the Apostle Paul’s words and Paul was always just telling the story of Jesus and the hope we have in Him. The story never gets old. And it’s worth considering that all the best stories in the world point back to the gospel in some way.
The gist of the passage is that Paul was in prison, and he wrote a letter to the Philippian church to thank them for sending Epaphroditus with a gift. He also wrote to tell them how to be content in any and every situation. MLJ says this better than I:
“So, he sets out in this mighty passage, with its staggering and astounding affirmations, to show the primacy of the Lord and the all-sufficiency of the Lord, while at the same time he shows his gratitude and his indebtedness and his love towards the Philippians for this manifestation of their personal care and solicitude for him.”
MLJ was British and therefore it sounds much cooler when he says it. But I digress…
“Paul is not indifferent to his circumstances. To put it positively, he is not mastered or controlled by circumstances. By all means if you can improve your circumstances by fair and legitimate means, do so; but if you cannot, and if you have to remain in a trying and difficult position, do not be mastered by it, do not let it get you down, do not let it control you, do not let it determine your misery or your joy.
‘Whatever my condition or circumstance,’ he says in effect, ‘I am in control. I am master of the situation, I am not mastered by the situation, I am free, I am at liberty, I do not depend for my happiness upon what is happening to me. My life, my happiness, my joy and my experience are independent of the things that are going on round about me, and even of the things that may be happening to me.’ I would remind you that Paul was probably chained to a soldier when he uttered these words. ‘My life,’ says Paul, ‘is not controlled and determined by what is happening to me; I am in a state and condition in which I rise right above them. These things are not the determining factors in my life and experience.’”
I want this. I want my life to reflect this. I want this kind of freedom and that is why I follow Jesus. He is the only one capable of giving such a gift. And I have it! It really is mine! Hallelujah! How can this not change everything? How can I continue to weep and mourn when such a marvelous gift has been given to me. I cannot. I will not.
There is so much “meat” to what Martin Lloyd Jones share in the sermon, but the big takeaway came at the end.
“Let me give you some of the steps of the argument which you can work out for yourself.
1) Conditions are always changing, therefore I must obviously not be dependent upon conditions.
2) What matters supremely and vitally is my soul and my relationship to God—that is the first thing.
3) God is concerned about me as my Father, and nothing happens to me apart from God. I must never forget that.
4) God’s will and God’s ways are a great mystery, but I know that whatever He wills or permits is of necessity for my good.
5) Every situation in life is the unfolding of some manifestation of God’s love and goodness. Therefore, my business is to look for this peculiar manifestation of God’s goodness and kindness and to be prepared for surprises and blessings because ‘His ways are not my ways, neither His thoughts my thoughts’.
6) I must regard circumstances and conditions, not in and of themselves therefore, but as a part of God’s dealings with me in the work of perfecting my soul and bringing me to final perfection.
7) Whatever my conditions may be at this present moment they are only temporary, they are only passing, and they can never rob me of the joy and the glory that ultimately await me with Christ.
And finally:
”The big principle that emerges clearly is that Paul had learned to find his pleasure and his satisfaction in Chris and always in Christ.
We must learn to depend upon Him and in order to do that we must learn to know Him, we must learn to have communion with Him, we must learn to find our pleasure in Him. Then comes the test. Will you still be happy? Do you know Him so well that though you become deaf or blind this fount will still be open? Do you know Him so well that you can talk to Him and listen to Him and enjoy Him always? Will all be well because you have always been so dependent upon your relationship to Him that nothing else really matters!”
THAT is the question. I have been sad and depressed because of my life circumstances but I can find joy and freedom in Christ because of the deep and abiding love He has for me. And so can you.
I realize this post was a bit of borrowing from the great preacher, but it was poignant today. It helped me. I hope it helps you too.
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 42:11
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