Gloom

<<despair>>

Satan wants us fearful, depressed, dejected and defeated by the situations and events around us. Gloom can envelop our minds and crowd out the positive when we focus our attention on what is against us.

Endeavour not to allow yourself to be dictated to by ‘doom and gloom’ situations, instead respond with, “Yet I will be joyful in God my Saviour” (Hab 3:17,18). Our spirits should not be unduly affected by the adverse conditions surrounding us now. The position of David was gloomy and precarious when his distressed followers were considering stoning him,

Praise is a great weapon to drive back the clouds of despair

however he encouraged himself in God and the whole situation turned around (1 Sam 30:6). In the natural realm the situation appeared hopeless, yet in the spiritual realm it was the opposite (2 Kgs 6:17). May we look at situations from God’s perspective, taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ, and with faith that is not threatened with the darkness of the clouds but instead sees what is possible with Jesus (2 Cor 10:5).

Regardless of the pessimistic outlook in the natural realm, the eternal future of believers will be glorious, so “Put your hope in God” (Ps 43:5). While not denying that the situation is serious, we do not empower it by giving it undue attention. We hold things in true perspective, recognizing that God is the master, we are His children, He is committed to us, and us to Him. “If God is for us, who can be against us…For greater is Jesus in us than he [Satan] who is in the world” (Rom 8:31; 1 Jn 4:4). Have a positive attitude that God will bring good out of what appears in the natural to be a devastating state of affairs (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28). The Psalmist wrote, "He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains" (Ps 107:14). As believers this is our experience, Jesus has graciously forgiven the debt of sin we could never pay. Rather than lowness of spirit we should be rejoicing in, and praising God that we are now His heaven-bound children (Isa 61:3).