Now What?

Slaying the Slough of Despond

Sometimes I think we are only a conversation away from the “slough of despond”, but maybe it’s just me…

Just the other day, as I was minding my own business in a state of relative cheerfulness, I found myself beginning to descend into a morose feeling of melancholy.

I pulled out all the stops in an attempt to halt this fall into the abyss…

I listened to praise music, read and meditated on Scripture, prayed, cleaned and organized kitchen cabinets, visited a friend, and bought two new flowers for my garden. All that - and a good night’s sleep changed what could have been several days of gloom to peace.

I had to work at it.

This got me thinking about having a sound mind – how do we get one and how do we keep one?

Preparation

First, I think we need to fill ourselves up with truth.

We can’t only meditate on Scripture when we are down, but rather we need to reach for it every day – be very familiar with it. That way, when we need it the Lord will bring it to mind.

Jude, while encouraging believers to contend for the faith, said this:

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life (Jude 20-21).

Notice the middle part – keep yourselves in the love of God. We have responsibility in this work of sanctification that God began on our behalf and promises to finish (Philippians 1:6).

In fact, notice the verbs in those verses - building, praying, keep, waiting. Actions we have to do in the present – right now – and keep doing.

We have to work at it.

Understanding

Secondly, we need to know who we are in Christ.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Paul was writing to the believers at Corinth. They were a having a very difficult time trying to walk worthy in a culture that was debased and wicked. In fact, when the Romans were trying to put someone down they thought was a particular lowlife – they’d say he was Corinthianized. Considering the Romans, in general, were not pillars of virtue, this would be quite an insult.

That was what the believers in Corinth came out of and what they had to deal with daily. Look at the verbs again - washed, sanctified, justified – all past tense – a done deal.

When we trust in Jesus Christ for salvation, he becomes our righteousness – we have worth, value – because of who He is (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Here’s a beautiful song that expresses right thinking:

“My worth is not in what I own

Not in the strength of flesh and bone

But in the costly wounds of love

At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name

In win or lose, in pride or shame

But in the blood of Christ that flowed

At the cross

Refrain:

I rejoice in my Redeemer

Greatest Treasure,

Wellspring of my soul

I will trust in Him, no other.

My soul is satisfied in Him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die

Fame, youth and beauty hurry by

But life eternal calls to us

At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might

Or human wisdom’s fleeting light

But I will boast in knowing Christ

At the cross

Refrain

Two wonders here that I confess

My worth and my unworthiness

My value fixed - my ransom paid

At the cross

Refrain”

— WORDS AND MUSIC BY KEITH GETTY, KRISTYN GETTY AND GRAHAM KENDRICK ©2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfFrJHuptUQ

As Paul cried out in Romans, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh…Who will set me free from this body of death (Romans 7:18-24)?

He asks the question and he answers it:

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!...Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 7:25-8:2).

Yes, think with sound judgment – know who you are, know what He has delivered you from, and know who you are in Him.

Practice

Finally, practical instruction for coping and keeping a sound mind is found in Philippians 4:4-9:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

We don’t have to be defeated by our negative feelings and thoughts. We can learn to deal with them biblically. There are four commands in the passage above. I can’t imagine we would be commanded to do the impossible.

Rejoice in the Lord always – a command and a choice. We can choose joy over sadness and gloom. We are not trapped or bound to the feelings that come upon us. We can rebuke them and choose something else.

Be anxious for nothing – Why do we become anxious? Because things are out of control – out of our control. News flash – we don’t really control anything anyway, we can’t fix anyone, and “our way” may not be THE best or only way.

Let your requests be made known to God – everything by prayer with thanksgiving is to be brought before the Lord. This tells us what to pray about – EVERYTHING. How do we pray – with thanksgiving – look around we can always be thankful. Another choice – we must be thankful. Choose it. It will change our attitude and viewpoint.

Dwell on these things – While we are choosing joy, letting go of our anxiety (control), bringing everything to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving, Paul gives us a long list of things to dwell on. If we want a sound mind, we need to direct our thoughts – hold them captive (2 Corinthian 10:5) rebuke and bring them to submission – and then determine to think correctly.

We cannot help the feelings that overwhelm us, the circumstances that crush, or the people that grieve, but we can choose what we do with them once they’re upon us.

It’s not easy. We have to work at it.