Feeling Down? Turn to God

Most of us go through emotionally tough times during our lives.  They come for many reasons: bad news about your job, your health, your kids, or your relationships.  In my latest book, Why Can't He Be More Like Me, I share some of what I learned when I would sit and feel sorry for myself because my husband was not my clone.  In other words, he didn't agree with me on everything! 

Hope you enjoy this excerpt from the chapter: We Weren't Raised in the Same Home. 

"I used to spend a lot of time stewing in anger and self-pity. Believe me when I tell you that it didn't get me anywhere.  My circumstances did not change. My negative focus did not yield anything that reflected the Lord's presence in my life. Over time, however, it did produce two things: a desperate desire for God to do something, and a willingness to hear what He had to say, even if it wasn't easy to take.

In Psalm 51 (MSG), David cried out from his own self-induced misery, "What you're after is truth from the inside out." That remains an essential principle for growing in the Lord. Only when I was ready to listen and take responsibility for my behavior did the Holy Spirit begin to show me what I hadn't been willing to see. My negative focus powerfully affected my mood, leaving me struggling to find hope in life. My mouth spewed words of anger and discontent. And my marriage became a source of frustration rather than fulfillment.

I longed for a happier relationship, but it never occurred to me that I had a part to play in bringing it about."

 Does this strike a cord? Is there some resemblence to your life?  Help is available. You don't have to stay stuck going nowhere.  Let me encourage you to reflect on your part in the situation that gets you down and to pray for God to guide you to His answers.

  You'll find practical and relevant help, as well as hope, in my story of how God responded to my cries. He showed me what I needed to do to bring more peace and joy into my marriage.  Click here to buy your own copy or one for a friend who might be struggling: www.amazon.com   or www.poppysmith.com

Poppy