TALKING TO YOURSELF

Psalm 43
TALKING TO YOURSELF
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. (v.5)

We are not as helpless as we think we are. We are not as captive to our mood as we imagine we are. As the psalmist does it, so can we. We can talk ourselves out of our depression.

Talking to ourselves seems a strange thing to do. People may even think we are mad! But self-counselling makes good therapy. Detaching me from myself and speaking to myself can do a lot of good. For one thing, I don't let myself get away with everything. For example, if "me" says, "I am depressed," I don't just accept it and let "me" be depressed. I asked, "Why are you depressed?" Now "me" may not be able to come up with some good and acceptable reasons. That's when I can persuade and convince "me" to give up being depressed.

Along similar lines, the psalmist talks to himself when he is downcast. He challenges and exhorts his soul to put his hope in God. So we too can encourage ourselves. Of course, it may be better if someone else could encourage us. But what if there is no one around? We have to do it ourselves!

Well, what if our soul refuses to listen? The psalmist has a final solution. Then, he, the one who talks to his unco-operative alter ego, will still praise the Lord! Here lies the secret to the cure of depression. We don't give in to the moods of our soul. We take hold of the promise of God, and will to praise the Lord: "for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God." Never mind if our other self seems dejected - if we start praising the Lord, then it has no choice but to join in sooner or later.

When you praise the Lord, your soul cannot be downcast for long.