1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
In the beginning of Psalm 139, David wrote about how well God knows him. It is evident from David’s choice of words that the knowledge God has of him is both wonderful and incomprehensible.
David describes God’s knowledge of his actions, thoughts, words, movements, and life’s path.
God’s Omniscience of Us All
The same detailed knowledge God has of David, He has of all His creations. His omniscience means that He knows everything.
Security In God’s Omniscience
We can all find great security in God, knowing that He knows everything and is sovereign. Therefore, we need not be embarrassed or fearful about facing mental health challenges in our lives.
For instance, God already knew that I would face bipolar disorder even before I was knitted in my mother’s womb. He knew every detail of how I would react to this part of my life, that I would return to a relationship with Him as an adult, and find in Him guidance, hope, and healing.
Also, He had already prepared the way for me to overcome any weapons that would form as a result of living life. I find great security in the fact that bipolar has never taken over because of God. God prepared the way for me to walk in victory over any diagnosis, chemical imbalance, or anything that I would have to face.
Thankfully, by His grace, I walk in freedom through bipolar trials, and life and abundance are available to me through the power of Jesus’ blood.
One day, when every trial and tribulation is over, I will be eternally with my Lord and Savior.
I pray that you will find security In God’s knowledge of you.
God knows every last detail about you
God has not forgotten you
God is never confused about you
God understands you
God has His hand on you
Nothing about you has escaped His knowledge
God is not caught off guard about anything concerning you
Finally, you don’t have to live in despair or fear. Your hope, healing, and deliverance from the sadness and symptoms of mental health challenges can be found in God’s omniscience of you.
He has prepared the way for you to overcome!
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Picture life throwing curve ball after curve ball at you and your loved ones. Illness, death, accidents, disappointments, and uncertainties often weigh on our hearts and minds. When anxious and depressive thoughts come, it can be difficult for many of us to remain grateful. Perseverating over our problems sometimes becomes our primary focus.
When this happens, it is in our best interest to shift our gaze off of what we see as our problems. Instead, we should focus on who God is and what He has done for us. Despite hardships, our live’s are gracious gifts that God has given us.
Let’s explore Pslam 96 today as we discuss expressing gratitude and living a thankful life. The psalmist shows through this passage an expectation of the coming of Jesus!
Psalm 96:1-4 explains how the Israelites should express their gratitude for God:
Sing to the Lord a new song
Bless His name
Tell of His salvation daily
Declare His glory and marvelous works among all the peoples
Praise Him
Fear Him above all gods
So, these verses show that this gratitude should be shared among all peoples so that it can be a witness of the one true God to the whole world.
Moving on in Psalm 96 verses 7 through 9, the Gentiles are called to join in worship with the Israelites. The psalm looks forward to a time when Gentiles “Ascribe” to the one true God:
So, as you shift your gaze toward God in gratitude, remember this psalm for all the ways you can express gratitude through worship and praise. Yes, your anxious and depressive thoughts seem larger than life, but I challenge you to focus on gratefulness.
With this said, utilize the expectancy of the second coming of the Messiah. At that time, all will be made right! Because of who God is and all He has done, we have great reason to express gratitude and live a thankful life.
Sadness and feelings of defeat may come when hardship hits, but remember not to focus so much on those feelings that you miss the opportunity to worship and praise God.
Keep a heart of gratitude in all things. Trust God’s word in Romans 8:28 when it says,
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
As you look at the world that we live in, do you see the lack of love for one another? The lack of joy and peace? The absence of empathy and support for one another is a realistic description of our world. Many of us walk around saddened, embittered, and in torment because of this.
Jesus came with a great example of how we should live and treat one another. True unity comes about when we stand as one together with God’s desires. God chose to send His Son Jesus to redeem us from sin. His desire is for us all to be purified of sin and never separate from Him. Jesus did not please himself, but He carried the weight of our sins on Him as he journeyed to the cross. He fulfilled the Father’s mission for him!
Do you find that you are void of joy and peace at times? If yes, this could have a large part to do with a lack of God’s hope. As humans we look for security, especially in the world. Security can be found in others on a physical level to an extent, but more importantly security in God always restores us. Without God, we have no hope of living in unity with God’s desires, finding joy and peace.
Do not be saddened or worrisome because Romans 15:13 describes our God as one of hope. This hope fills us with joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit. Only through the Holy Spirit do we abound in hope.
God gives us loads and loads of hope when we trust in Him.
If you are doing life alone, you should acquaint yourself with the God of hope. God has showered you with His grace to do so. He is the God of hope for every Jew and Gentile. By the power of the Holy Spirit, receive God’s hope and live in joy and peace.
As we all believe, receive God’s hope, selflessly stand in support of each other and with God’s desires, we will strengthen one another instead of taring one another down.
Let us pray for hope, joy, peace and unity with one another concerning God’s will.
Dear God, Strengthen me to walk in your desires and support others around me. Thank you for Jesus, my example. Help me trust in you so that I may experience your hope. I want to live in joy and peace, experience a life of love and support for others. I pray for us as a world to turn our desires away and live in your godly desires. You alone are our only hope for joy and peace. Help us become more like your Son Jesus everyday. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.
Before you go, name your greatest takeaway from this devotional in the comments.
Have an amazing week!
P.S. – Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
Do you ever have an attack of condemnation that causes you to doubt God’s grace and His forgiveness of your sins? This is a normal area of doubt, but it’s not the truth to believe that if you have repented you have not been forgiven. Will the Holy Spirit help me understand God better? Let’s explore this.
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Crossway Bibles 2008).
Before any of us become saved, we are wicked and will live a life separated from God for eternity. But when we turn from wickedness and unrighteous thoughts through repentance, God has compassion for us. With His compassion, He forgives our sins instantly just as He did for the wicked in Isaiah.
Coming from a sinful nature, it may be hard for many of us to understand the power of grace initially. God created grace and by His thought pattern, way, and through Jesus’ sacrifice, it causes grace to be enough for the forgiveness of sins.
Remember that repentant believers are under grace. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand God’s love and purpose for grace. When you understand how much God loves you, you will rest assured that the free gift of grace through faith is sufficient for the forgiveness of your sins and you personally.
Just as we have little understanding of the heavens, we have minimal understanding of God’s ways and thoughts. But, when we find ourselves in confusion, we can rely on the Holy Spirit, whom Christ sent to show us love, give us spiritual understanding, and peace.
Pray Today:
Dear Lord,
Please help me never underestimate your gift of grace. Lead me Holy Spirit to understand the Father’s thoughts and ways better. Lead Holy Spirit to find peace in God’s love.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
'For thus said the Lord God , the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill (Crossway Bibles, 2008).'
Do you ever feel the urge to act on temptation? You may feel the Holy Spirit say go left, but you think to ignore in rebellion and go right? Well this is how I see Israel acting in Isaiah 30:1-17. Like us, in some moments of temptation, they are making a decision to disobey.
The entire book of Isaiah speaks to the rebellion of Israel from the Lord’s covenant instructions brought through the law of Moses and their reliance on false gods and ungodly political alliances. Isaiah warns how Israel will face judgement through their exile, the admonishment of their political alliances with other nations, and those nation’s falling (The Daily Grace Co., 2017, p. 132-134).
Isaiah also speaks to hope. Hope will be found in the Lord after the exile is over. He accounts that Israel will receive their homeland back. They will also receive the promise of the coming of the Redeemer, the Messiah(The Daily Grace Co., 2017, p. 132-134).
When we don’t have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, the wrong path is easy to go down with Satan. We may actually do things that we never really believed we would. In addition we may also fall into a pattern of rebellion against God like Israel. As a result we may have to face consequences that won’t be so pleasant. They will hurt and can sometimes break us.
In verses 15-17, the Lord speaks a warning through Isaiah. He explains that “in returning to Him and rest they shall be saved” and that “in quietness and in trust they will obtain their strength.” But God knows His people very well and explains that Israel will ignore this by believing in their own strength. They will be unwilling to return to Him. They won’t find rest and strength (Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Isaiah continues on to state God’s words about what comes next. He says, “you shall flee away” and “your pursuers shall be swift.” He says, “A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill (Crossway Bibles, 2008).”
So military action will occur.The Lord will frustrate the battle. Let’s refer to verse 3 of Isaiah 30 when God says, the “protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame” and “the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation. Essentially this is a return to Egypt, who once oppressed them before they became free (Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Don’t reattach yourself to your oppressor as Israel did. Your oppressor is Satan, and His plan is eternal death for all people. But God the Father has said otherwise. He has sent a Savior for the world, named Jesus. Jesus ensures we have an eternal life.
So today, examine if you’ve received salvation or do you have a break in your relationship with the Holy Spirit. If you have gone astray, there is still time to return to God and build or rebuild that relationship with Him.
You will never regret choosing God. And He has so much love that he wants you to experience by following and knowing Him. Instead of finding yourself in a helpless war with your flesh and Satan, ask the Holy Spirit to search you and remove any behaviors not in alignment with His will. Ask Him to spiritually armor you up to follow Him and fight successfully amongst spiritual warfare.
Pray this week:
Dear Father,
My hearts desire is to be in alignment with you. Please forgive me for the times that I rebel or begin a pattern of disobedience. I want to honor you in how I live, get to know you more and experience your love. Open my eyes to the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. Order my steps dear God.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
Join my free prayer circle for support from a community of women who pray for one another everyday.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
Sources Used:
Evans, Tony. The Tony Evans Bible Commentary. Holman Bible Publishers, 2019.
The Daily Grace Co., et al. “Isaiah.” The Bible Handbook, edited by Jana White and Alli Turner, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 2017, pp. 132–134. Source used to understand the context of the book of Isaiah from the Holy Bible
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version: The ESV Study Bible. Crossway Bibles, 2008.
'By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. '
In the past, I have found myself wondering if the Lord would do as He promised concerning my mental health. Doubt has come when I felt like I would not see the promise of God fulfilled.
I have had ups in downs in my faith. There have been times I’ve doubted healing, deliverance, and a sound mind was going to happen for me. Have you also been holding onto a promise from God and sometimes feel like you won’t make it to that promise?
In Hebrews 11:17-19, we see a picture of the unwavering faith of a man named Abraham. God asked Him to sacrifice his only son Issac, despite Issac being a part of the plan to the promise.
Before we move on, let’s review the promise in Genesis 26:4…
"I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,"
Issac is the man by which Abraham’s offspring would come. However, Abraham knew that God’s promise would be fulfilled despite God telling him to sacrifice hisonly son Isaac. (Genesis 22:2-3)
Abraham believed even if he sacrificed Issac, God could bring the boy back to life.
That is FAITH!
We read in Genesis 22:11-12 that just as Abraham goes to slaughter his son, the angel of the Lord appears. The angel of the Lord says not to lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. The angel of the Lord knew based upon Abraham’s willingness to give his son that he feared God.
In Genesis 22:13, Abraham looks up to find a ram caught by its horns in a thicket.
God provided the sacrifice, just as Abraham believed he would! (Genesis 22:8)
I have found that faithfulness to believe in God’s promises for healing is where the journey to wholeness began for me.
So can you believe by faith that whatever your promise is, God will do as He said He would?
I encourage you to believe God in faith and to walk obediently. Your promise will come to pass. I know this because my mental health has improved throughout the past several years. I’ve seen God do and continue to fulfill His promise of healing to me.
I praise God that I have been free from self-harm for nearly two years. Additionally, I no longer struggle with suicidal ideation.
God is faithful sis!
In closing, Confess to God that you will stand in faith for His promise to you. If you don’t feel that you can, ask God for strength to believe that all His promises are yes and amen. He will strengthen you, which will build your faith in Him.
Pray this week:
Dear God, I need your help. I want to have faith in every promise you’ve made to me, but sometimes it can be difficult. I know that you know this about me already. Since you understand me better than anyone else, remind me of the times you have never failed me in the past. Show me how to live in your will and in obedience to you. Help me believe with the faith I have to give you. Thank you.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
Amen
Join my free prayer circle for support from a community of women who pray for one another everyday.
Do you want to become a believer today? I’ll show you how here.
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