Spiritual Grounding in Challenging Times: Lessons from Psalm 37
- Pastor Kim Purl
- Oct 9
- 2 min read
Last Sunday, in my Lamentations sermon, I shared, The Cycle of Victorious Living: Psalm 37, with you. It has been a helpful guide to me when I worked through life's heaviness. And no doubt, the world is heavy right now, for all of us. I share this in hopes you may find it helpful too.
Here's the steps of moving through the cycle graphic below:
👉Begin by naming your despair/need/concern. Then take what you have named and move through the cycle.
1. Commit.
Commit your despair to the Lord. I pray with my hands open downward, imagining my despair falling into the great hands of God.
2. Trust.
Trust the Lord with your despair. I pray with hands together, symbolizing trust.
3. Delight/Praise.
Thank God for being God, so you don't have to be God. Find a song that resonates with this moment and sing. Paint. Draw. Be creative. Move your body. You do you. I hold my hands upward toward God in praise.
4. Rest/Be still.
This is not passive. Make sure you are taking care of yourself during tough times. Sleep. Eat right. Take a walk. Get some sunshine. Hug yourself. Let God heal you.
Notice the fret/worry spirals? It is gonna happen. You will compare your situation to how well others are doing. You will complain to God. It's okay. God can handle it. Just return to the cycle and commit again. You are growing in your spiritual life.
Each time you return to the cycle it will become more natural as you face your struggles. You will learn about yourself, about God, others, and deepen spiritually. I cannot guarantee this will help make sense of tragedies or sufferings. But this is how to ground yourself and partner with the Lord who suffers with us.
This cycle does not replace the Five Stages of Grief when we face despairs, but the cycle can assist us in moving through the stages of our tragedies and grief.
The Five Stages of Grief:
👉Denial
👉Bargaining
👉Anger
👉Depression
👉Acceptance
These stages don’t happen in any particular order.
Remember, the worst of times can be the best time to find our spiritual grounding and growth.
Credit for this cycle is found in the book, The Cycle of Victorious Living, (Beacon Hill Press) by Earl and Hazel Lee. It is easy to find online for purchase.
Comments