Day Two
Is worry a sin? Have you ever felt so knocked down that you could not stand back up? I remember a difficult time in my life when all I wanted to do was sleep. If I could just close my eyes long enough, everything would disappear. When I awoke, I realized the problems remained. While sleep is good for our bodies, it is not the best coping mechanism for anguish. Attempting to bury problems under our pillows only represses our hurt.
So, what do we do? Release the pain.
As we see in the life of David, he too, felt knocked down and afraid. Why would such a faithful man of Yah live with so much worry? Isn’t David sinning by worrying or being in fear? Doesn’t he believe in Yah? Why would Yah put this here in the Sacred Scriptures?
Honestly, Yah put the story of David in the Scriptures, revealing all his troubles, weaknesses, and challenges of faith, because David is just like us. Although our circumstances and situations might be different, we still share common issues - simply because we are human.
Worry and fear are human emotions so, of course, we recognize those feelings in David's life as well. When we are struggling with worry and fear, we tend to make desperate or bad choices that can lead us into sin.
In Mattithyahu's rendering of the Besorah of Yahusha, in 6:25 and other verses, we hear Yahusha telling us “do not worry”. We need to recognize that Yahusha never said that we will not experience worry, or that it is a sin. Yahusha wants us to turn-over our emotions of worry and fear to Him. Instead of acting on our own impulses, we should redirect our emotions. We have to begin thinking and acting based on our knowledge of the power and love of Yah.
But, how do we do this?
The Sacred Scriptures serve as the perfect handbook for us. Look at David’s response to dealing with his pain. David says: “Yahuah is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him.” Tehilliym 28:7 את CEPHER.
Instead of repressing his pain, David releases it to Yah – even in his weakness! In fact, David relies on Yah saying, “Yahuah is my strength.”
Yahuah Elohiym Tseva’oth, the Elohiym of all creation is our shield. Think about that. If the Creator is your shield from everything, where should the emotions of worry and fear be now?
This is why in verse 7 David says he can “greatly rejoice” to Him in song.
As we rejoice in Yah, He gives us His peace! It’s the same kind of peace we see in Marqus 4:35-41:
“And the same day, when the even was come, he said unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Rabbi, do you not care that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
In the midst of a storm at sea, the disciples are fearful. Yahusha is there with them in the storm, but He is actually sleeping on a cushion at the bottom of the stern of the boat. In this situation, Yahusha is modeling that true strength and perfect peace that only comes from Yahuah.
Tehilliym 29:11 tells us: “Yahuah will give strength unto his people; Yahuah will bless his people with peace.” How can we deny such peace? How can we not see Yah for who He really is?
So, yes, we encounter trouble, worry, and fear. When we go through the human feelings of anguish, frustration, and pain, we are to lift our voices to Yah in prayer. We should wait expectantly, knowing that we will see the glory of Yah. Yahuah Elohaynu glorifies Himself through our reality, allowing us to experience peace. A perfect peace that only Yah can give in each moment. “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterspouts: all your waves and your billows are gone over me.” Tehilliym 42:7 את CEPHER.
Meditate on His faithful waters of comfort and how they never run dry nor cease. He relieves your weariness and strengthens your spirit. Watch what He will do as you return to daily life. Keep this powerful truth in your heart, so that no matter what the day or night brings, His song is always on your lips. Let His sweet waves of mercy wash over you!
Reflection:
How do you feel about asking for help? Whether you feel good or bad about a situation; you want to be comfortable in voicing your prayers to Yah.
It is nearly impossible to avoid dealing with stress since we regularly face hard decisions and tough situations in our lives almost every day. Situations will always demand our attention, so we will regularly feel a wide array of emotions. It is at these times, and in these moments, that we need to bring things to Yah in prayer.
Prayer:
Yahusha, You are the healer of souls. You are our comfort at midnight, and the same comfort that guides us by day. Thank You for making Your loving kindness available to us. We do not need to work for it, neither do we need to strive in our own fear. Your love and grace have already found us. May we sleep in faith, rest in Your comfort, and act in wisdom – knowing that You are ready and You will complete a good work in us.
Thank You for Your mercy and comfort that pours over me like a waterfall. Guard my heart and mind with Your surpassing peace. In Your Name I pray. Amein.
Scripture quotes:
“Yahuah is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him.”
Tehilliym 28:7 את CEPHER.
“The Lord makes me strong. He keeps me safe like a shield . I trust in him completely, and he has helped me. I am very happy, and I will thank him with my songs.”
Psalms 28:7 EASY.
“Yahuah will give strength unto his people; Yahuah will bless his people with peace.”
Tehilliym 29:11 את CEPHER.
“The Lord makes his people strong. The Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Psalms 29:11 EASY.
“Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterspouts: all your waves and your billows are gone over me.”
Tehilliym 42:7 את CEPHER.
“I hear your waterfalls make a noise like thunder . It seems like all that water is pouring over me and it knocks me down to the ground.”
Psalms 42:7 EASY.
“Yet Yahuah will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the El of my life.”
Tehilliym 42:8 את CEPHER.
“Each day, the Lord shows me that he loves me with his special love. Each night he gives me a song to sing, as I pray to the God who lives.”
Psalms 42:8 EASY.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Elohiym:”
EPH'SIYM 2:8 את CEPHER.
“When you believed in Jesus, God saved you because he is very kind. You could not save yourselves, but that is God's gift to you.”
Ephesians 2:8 EASY.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Yahusha Ha'Mashiach:”
PHILIPPIYM 1:6 את CEPHER.
“I know that God has begun to do good things in you. And I am sure that he will continue to work in you. Then, on the day when Jesus Christ returns, his work in you will be finished.”
Philippians 1:6 EASY.
“And the peace of Elohiym, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Mashiach Yahusha.”
PHILIPPIYM 4:7 את CEPHER.
“If you do that, God will give you peace in your minds. That peace is so great that nobody can completely understand it. You will not worry or be afraid, because you belong to Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 EASY.
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