Preaching to myself, the deer

I'm working my way through a series of sermons by John Piper about the book of Psalms. The great thing about the Psalms is that they are poetry - raw, immediate, emotional responses to a range of life situations. Sometimes I find solace reading the words of someone living thousands of years ago who felt exactly like I do. More often, however, I read what I wish I were feeling.

The sermon I recently listened to was about Psalm 42, about a man in spiritual depression (to download sermon, go to http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/BySeries/84/2806_Spiritual_Depression_in_the_Psalms/). What struck me were two of the six responses by this writer.

One of them is that the writer preaches to his own soul. Piper called it crucial that we learn to preach the truth to ourselves. Piper quotes Martin Lloyd-Jones:

"Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. . ."

I find it exceptionally common to be in a situation in which I know the truth but I don't feel the truth. I don't forget the realities of God; I would just prefer to listen to myself stay focused on how I feel I'm being cheated or wronged. In those times I must preach to myself.

The other thing that stood out regarded a well-known verse from this Psalm: "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God" (verse 1). What stands out here is that despite the depression and turmoil being dealt with, the writer doesn't say that he thirsts for relief from his circumstances. He doesn't thirst for escape from his enemies. He certainly wants these things. But more important to him is God Himself. He wants God. And if enduring these storms brings him closer, then he will endure these storms.

Seek God, and preach to myself. I'll add that to not being strongly moved on my to-do list for the week. I've got a lot of work to do.