Finding Hope in Spiritual Dryness: Lessons from Psalm 42

 

Summary

Psalm 42 serves as a profound reminder of the enduring nature of hope, even amidst life's most challenging circumstances. As we embark on this series focused on growing in hope, we reflect on the timeless truth that while our knowledge, gifts, and worldly marks may fade, faith, hope, and love remain eternal. In a world that grows increasingly harsh and divided, our calling to love becomes ever more distinct. Similarly, our journey in faith is marked by growth through testing, revealing its preciousness akin to gold. Now, we turn our attention to hope, as encapsulated in Psalm 42.

David's experience, as depicted in this Psalm, is one of deep spiritual dryness and turmoil. He describes himself as a deer panting for water, a vivid metaphor for his desperate longing for God. Despite his love and pursuit of God, he feels distant from Him, leading to a state of being downcast, tearful, and overwhelmed. This Psalm resonates with anyone who has felt spiritually dry, forgotten, or oppressed, reminding us that even the most faithful believers can endure such trials.

The Psalm also highlights the causes of David's distress: a hostile environment, the loss of cherished roles, and the felt distance from God. These experiences are not foreign to us, and even Jesus Himself endured similar trials. Yet, amidst these challenges, the central theme of hope emerges. David repeatedly exhorts himself to "hope in God," demonstrating a profound strategy for spiritual resilience.

To grow in hope, we must first speak honestly to God, as David does, pouring out our souls in prayer. We must also challenge ourselves, not merely listening to our fears and doubts but actively speaking truth to our souls. Affirming what we know to be true about God is crucial, as is waiting expectantly for His deliverance. This journey is not linear; it often feels like going in circles. However, like a winding mountain road, each circuit brings us higher, closer to the summit of hope.

Key Takeaways:

- Honest Communication with God: David's example teaches us the importance of speaking honestly to God, even when we feel distant from Him. In our prayers, we can express our true feelings, knowing that God understands and welcomes our authenticity. This openness is the first step in nurturing hope. [20:13]

- Challenging Our Inner Dialogue: We often listen to our fears and doubts without challenging them. David shows us the importance of speaking truth to ourselves, questioning our downcast state, and reminding ourselves of God's faithfulness. This practice helps us combat spiritual dryness and turmoil. [22:23]

- Affirming God's Truth: In times of distress, affirming what we know to be true about God is vital. David repeatedly reminds himself of God's character and promises, reinforcing his hope. This affirmation strengthens our faith and anchors us in God's unchanging nature. [26:08]

- Waiting Expectantly on God: Hope involves waiting with expectation for God's deliverance. David's journey illustrates that while progress may seem slow, perseverance leads to spiritual growth. Like a winding mountain road, each step brings us closer to the summit of hope. [28:07]

- Endurance in the Face of Trials: The Psalm encourages us to endure, even when victories seem elusive. David's repeated exhortation to hope in God reminds us that some battles take time, but persistence in seeking God and affirming His truth leads to eventual triumph. [33:11]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:15] - Introduction to Faith, Hope, and Love
- [00:48] - Love as Our Distinct Calling
- [01:05] - Growing in Faith
- [01:43] - Introduction to Psalm 42
- [02:22] - The Theme of Hope
- [03:52] - The Need for Hope in Difficult Times
- [04:08] - David's Dry Season
- [06:22] - Symptoms of Spiritual Dryness
- [10:00] - Causes of David's Distress
- [15:37] - The Felt Distance of God
- [18:51] - Strategies for Growing in Hope
- [21:49] - Challenging Yourself
- [25:20] - Affirming God's Truth
- [28:07] - Waiting Expectantly on God
- [31:48] - Encouragement in the Journey of Hope

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Growing in Hope through Psalm 42

Bible Reading:
- Psalm 42:5, 11
- Psalm 43:5

Observation Questions:
1. What metaphor does David use in Psalm 42 to describe his spiritual longing, and what does this reveal about his state of mind? [04:08]
2. How does David express his feelings of being distant from God in Psalm 42, and what are the symptoms he describes? [06:22]
3. In Psalm 42, what repeated phrase does David use to encourage himself, and how often does it appear in the text? [19:09]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does David's experience of spiritual dryness and turmoil in Psalm 42 relate to the challenges faced by believers today? [08:57]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of honest communication with God during times of spiritual dryness? [20:13]
3. How does the concept of "challenging our inner dialogue" in the sermon relate to David's approach in Psalm 42? [22:23]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually dry or distant from God. How did you respond, and what might you do differently after studying Psalm 42? [04:08]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of speaking truth to ourselves. What specific truths about God can you remind yourself of during challenging times? [26:08]
3. Consider the idea of waiting expectantly on God. How can you cultivate patience and hope in your current circumstances? [28:07]
4. How can you incorporate honest communication with God into your daily prayer life, especially when you feel distant from Him? [20:13]
5. Identify a situation where you need to challenge your inner dialogue. What steps can you take to speak truth to yourself in that situation? [22:23]
6. The sermon mentions the endurance required in the face of trials. What practical steps can you take to build spiritual resilience in your life? [33:11]
7. How can the metaphor of a winding mountain road help you reframe your perspective on spiritual growth and progress? [31:48]

Devotional

Day 1: Honest Communication with God
David's example in Psalm 42 highlights the importance of speaking honestly to God, even when feeling distant or spiritually dry. He pours out his soul, expressing his true feelings and longing for God's presence. This openness is crucial for nurturing hope, as it allows believers to acknowledge their struggles and seek God's understanding and comfort. By being authentic in prayer, we invite God into our deepest concerns, trusting that He welcomes our honesty and desires to meet us in our need. [20:13]

Psalm 62:8 (ESV): "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel distant from God? How can you express your true feelings to Him in prayer today?


Day 2: Challenging Our Inner Dialogue
In times of spiritual dryness, it's easy to listen to fears and doubts without challenging them. David demonstrates the importance of speaking truth to oneself, questioning a downcast state, and reminding oneself of God's faithfulness. This practice helps combat spiritual turmoil by reinforcing the truth of God's presence and promises. By actively engaging in this inner dialogue, believers can shift their focus from despair to hope, finding strength in God's unchanging nature. [22:23]

2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV): "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."

Reflection: What negative thoughts or doubts have been dominating your mind lately? How can you challenge these with the truth of God's Word today?


Day 3: Affirming God's Truth
Affirming what we know to be true about God is vital during distress. David repeatedly reminds himself of God's character and promises, reinforcing his hope and strengthening his faith. This affirmation anchors believers in God's unchanging nature, providing stability amidst life's uncertainties. By focusing on God's truth, we can find peace and assurance, knowing that His promises are reliable and His love is steadfast. [26:08]

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Reflection: What is one truth about God that you need to affirm in your life today? How can this truth bring you hope and strength?


Day 4: Waiting Expectantly on God
Hope involves waiting with expectation for God's deliverance, as illustrated by David's journey. While progress may seem slow, perseverance leads to spiritual growth, much like a winding mountain road that brings us closer to the summit of hope. By waiting expectantly, believers demonstrate trust in God's timing and faithfulness, knowing that He is working for their good even when the path is unclear. [28:07]

Lamentations 3:25-26 (ESV): "The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to wait expectantly for God's deliverance? How can you cultivate patience and trust during this waiting period?


Day 5: Endurance in the Face of Trials
Psalm 42 encourages endurance, even when victories seem elusive. David's repeated exhortation to hope in God reminds believers that some battles take time, but persistence in seeking God and affirming His truth leads to eventual triumph. By enduring through trials, believers grow in faith and hope, trusting that God is with them and will bring them through to victory. [33:11]

James 1:12 (ESV): "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

Reflection: What trial are you currently facing that requires endurance? How can you remain steadfast and hopeful, trusting in God's promise of victory?

Quotes


Now, I want to draw your attention especially to verse 5 where we have the theme of Hope: "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." [00:02:18]

Perhaps the best way to describe his experience here is that he was dried out. Look at what he says in verse 1: "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." [00:04:15]

Now, you see this raises a very important question: Can it really be true that a faithful believer can experience all of these things? And the answer to that question from the scripture very clearly is yes. Even the strongest believers may endure what David describes here. [00:08:54]

The presence of God is one place where you can be absolutely safe in being yourself. There is nothing that you can tell him that he doesn't know already. He knows you completely, and therefore there is a freedom that you have to come and to speak to God in every circumstance. [00:21:07]

Martin Lloyd Jones, who writes so helpfully on this from Psalm 42, asks this question: "Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself?" [00:22:47]

David keeps reminding himself, almost drip-feeding throughout the psalm, while all of these fears are coming up, they're being answered by what he says in regards to God. He's the living God, verse 2. He is the God of my life. He is my rock, verse 8. [00:27:06]

Now, when you read these Psalms, it does seem like they're going round in circles. And indeed, when you face great darkness, that is exactly what it is like. You think you've won through, and then you find yourself back in the thick of the battle all over again. [00:31:16]

Let me give you a picture to encourage you: Imagine a steep mountain and a long winding road that goes all the way around the bottom and then gradually, as it circles the mountain, works its way up towards the summit. You travel on the road, and as you're driving round the mountain, you keep seeing the same view. [00:31:48]

Some victories take longer than others, and the whole point of this psalm surely is that David keeps on seeking the Lord even when he seems far away, on challenging himself because he needs it, affirming what he knows to be true. There's hope for you in God. [00:33:11]

Now, the aim of the series over these next weeks is that we will grow in hope. I want to be very practical, and so I want us to see four strategies from the psalm as to how we can grow in hope. The first of these is to speak honestly to God. [00:19:39]

The Apostle Paul says exactly the same thing in the New Testament in First Timothy chapter 4 and verse 10. He says, "We toil and strive, and what energizes us to keep toiling and keep striving? Well, this is the reason we toil and strive: because we have set our hope on the living God." [00:26:08]

And thank God this is in the Bible because you know what this is like, as I do. You struggle to deal with something that has really hurt you, and you think you've got over it. I've been able to forgive, and then the resentment comes back, and you wonder if you've really made any progress. [00:30:09]

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Transcript
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