Can you feel the weight of the world's weariness pressing down on you? Together with my dear friend and fellow podcast curator, Amber Coulomb, we unpack the ways in which this pervasive weariness is affecting us all and explore the profound yearning of the human heart for relief from pain and suffering. We delve into the concept of benevolent detachment, a tool for maintaining mental and emotional health amidst the overflow of information around us, and discuss how we can care for our world and those in it without losing ourselves in the process.
The world's weariness isn't just a product of information overload - it's also due to the hardships and tragedies we face. During these times, it's easy to become overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. But what if there was an anchor that could hold us steady? Amber and I traverse the comforting promises of God, as seen in the Bible verses and breath prayers we share, with Psalm 27 acting as a beacon of hope during times of distress. We discuss the strength we can find in God's promises, and the relief that comes from knowing we're not alone in our fear.
But this journey doesn't end there. We also explore the powerful and transformative potential that comes from choosing hope and Jesus. The act of dwelling in God's shelter during moments of joy, sadness, or hurt is discussed, providing a roadmap to engage with Him and find peace. As we wrap up, we extend an invitation for you to join us in two weeks when we continue exploring the gift of freedom provided by Jesus. So, tune in with us - let's find our freedom together.
You ARE:
SEEN KNOWN HEARD LOVED VALUED
Can you feel the weight of the world's weariness pressing down on you? Together with my dear friend and fellow podcast curator, Amber Coulomb, we unpack the ways in which this pervasive weariness is affecting us all and explore the profound yearning of the human heart for relief from pain and suffering. We delve into the concept of benevolent detachment, a tool for maintaining mental and emotional health amidst the overflow of information around us, and discuss how we can care for our world and those in it without losing ourselves in the process.
The world's weariness isn't just a product of information overload - it's also due to the hardships and tragedies we face. During these times, it's easy to become overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. But what if there was an anchor that could hold us steady? Amber and I traverse the comforting promises of God, as seen in the Bible verses and breath prayers we share, with Psalm 27 acting as a beacon of hope during times of distress. We discuss the strength we can find in God's promises, and the relief that comes from knowing we're not alone in our fear.
But this journey doesn't end there. We also explore the powerful and transformative potential that comes from choosing hope and Jesus. The act of dwelling in God's shelter during moments of joy, sadness, or hurt is discussed, providing a roadmap to engage with Him and find peace. As we wrap up, we extend an invitation for you to join us in two weeks when we continue exploring the gift of freedom provided by Jesus. So, tune in with us - let's find our freedom together.
You ARE:
SEEN KNOWN HEARD LOVED VALUED
I think the human heart Longs to be free of pain and suffering, and that doesn't matter if you're a Christian or not. That is Simply bearing the image of God, because we have something in us that says there's something more to life than this.
Speaker 2:Hey everybody, and welcome back to the Wednesdays with Watson podcast. I am so excited to be here with you today, and I know I say that every time because I am always excited. We are in summer of 2023 and I needed my soul, needed something this summer, and so I picked some of my favorite people to come on to the podcast and talk with me about their favorite song. And so today I bring my friend, amber Coulomb to you. Amber's been on the podcast before. I will link both of her episodes and the show notes. Amber herself is a curator of a very popular podcast, sometimes breaks the 200 lists, which is really cool, that grace enough podcast doing good work over there. But she is my friend, she is a prayer warrior and she deeply, deeply loves Jesus, and so, amber, I've been looking forward to this. Welcome back to the Wednesdays with Watson podcast.
Speaker 1:Oh, thank you, Amy. It's really good just to see you. Welcome to all the listeners. But I'm also very thankful to see the host of this show, because I love you and I don't get to talk to you much anymore. I.
Speaker 2:Know we need to fix that. I love you too, by the way, and if you would prefer to listen, we are going to post this on YouTube because I don't know, amber and I got up and did our makeup today, so you guys could watch it on YouTube if you want. But, but, amber, I adore you. Your podcast is such a ministry to women. You are not afraid to go to the hard places. And, guys, when I tell you that she's done a great job of really even Delineating what pod, what episodes, you could listen to on her website, grace enough, podcast calm. I'm honored to be your friend and certainly honored that you would be on my little old niche podcast. I went stays with Watson, so but when Amber sent me Her favorite song.
Speaker 2:She said I want to do some 139 or some 27. And I said, well, I'm gonna kind of steal 139 for my solo finale and so let's do some 27. And, guys, when I tell you that, as I, as I prepared for this podcast, the words that we're gonna talk about today just have ministered to my heart, because I Don't know about you, amber, but it seems like life just continues to get. I don't know if it's harder or a different version of hard, but it seems, you know, it seems like for those of us who Want to get the good news of the gospel out and that is our platform yeah, so, monster, so many of us are just weary and tired and Confused in some ways, you know.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, I think the world is weary. I don't even think it's just believers, right? I think the inundation of Information and our addiction to information and how hard it is to turn it off, even when you know that it's not the healthiest thing for us, just adds to the weariness. Right, because we know so much of what's going on in the world and it's like you and I both who appreciate John Eldridge's work. It's benevolent detachment, like we have to detach ourselves. We can care, but to follow all of the things so closely and then still handle our own Happenings in the lives of the people we know personally, it's a lot.
Speaker 2:I think, yeah, like like a lot. Like, I see, like a big it there's big, it's just a lot, and you're right. I don't know just great work. He wrote two books. One is getting your life back in a world that's gone mad, and there's actually a free app that goes with that. And then the second one that is evading my memory, but it's literally about your soul being tired. I'll put it in the show the links I'm getting him on the podcast amber I.
Speaker 2:I'm trying doing the amber column Relentless. Keep trying. Yeah, because I want him, because I really, really believe that he would be good for the podcast. But I think you're right, I think the world is tired. I mean, like, think about this for a second there was a hurricane and an earthquake at the same time in California, you know, and fires and Maui and COVID coming back and all the things, and it's just. We get so weary with just life in general, not to mention the spiritual battle that we fight as Christians.
Speaker 1:Right, true what I've noticed too is, even like I'm so grateful for text Messaging and email because I do get to keep in contact, at least briefly, with someone like you or my good friends from college, yet that still expands that circle beyond local, which is good and Exhausting, right, because now we even know, like even when you know our dear friend's sister has cancer and that is heartbreaking but we you carry some of that and I just Don't think that you know when, when we didn't have as easy access to that information, that you carried as much of the weight of just sickness and death and hardship.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you mentioned John Eldridge his term but the nevel attachment means that means we care about what's going on in the world. And his first book, getting your life back in a world, but it's gone mad he's got. One of my favorite quotes from him is that we were not built To absorb the burdens of the whole world, no, but only of the village. So, as you talk about, as you talk about the consumption of stuff and of course people are consuming this as we speak but, yeah, if you've ever been on tiktok for a minute, you're seeing people Medicating themselves because they're dying of cancer, all the things right, and we just aren't meant to handle that. And so I think that that's where song 20, 27 comes in. Beautifully, you do? You have your Bible there in front of you where you could read those first six verses for us? Sure, yeah, okay, let's do that.
Speaker 1:All right, I'm reading from the ESV and it says the Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid when evil doers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army in camp against me, my heart shall not fear the war rise against me. Yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter. In the day of trouble, he will conceal me under the cover of his tent. He will lift me high upon a rock oh wait, I got one and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me and I will offer in his tent Sacrifices and shouts of joy. I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
Speaker 2:So much unpack there. But I am curious like why you picked this phone. I.
Speaker 1:Think for me. It's interesting for me to say something like this, because part of what I say, even on my show and just in ministry in general, is like, if you're tired of empty platitudes and Band-Aid Bible verses, then grace enough is the place for you. Yet this is one of those things, especially at the beginning of this Psalm 27, that I would refer to as a pocket prayer for myself and when? So? When I say empty platitude and Band-Aid Bible verses, I mainly mean we all have those things that we need to cling to, because that reminds us of God's faithfulness and his presence, but it's not necessarily things we should throw out at other people when they're hurting. You know, and this is one of those verses, particularly verse one I mean the Lord is my light and my salvation.
Speaker 1:Whom shall I fear? And so when I am beginning to slip into fear or being afraid of something, I love to use breath prayers. So as you inhale, you say the first part of a verse and as you exhale, you say the second part, and for me this is just a reminder Okay, lord, you are my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? And that reminder of like I don't have to be afraid, I can choose to walk in light and in salvation of the Lord even when darkness is all around me. And so that is just one of those little pocket prayers for myself that I pull out pretty quickly, just from habitual, you know, years and years of habit of saying like, okay, I cannot let fear overtake me, and that's what we were talking about earlier. Right, it's so easy to become fearful of like I'm going to lose my home, I'm going to lose my job, I can't feed my family, my so and so is sick, you know all of those things, and so we got to have something to fight that with.
Speaker 2:I think it's so important because, as you know, this is a niche podcast with trauma survivors of people that love them and so, by definition, people with trauma and particularly people with PTSD. And I'm about to get a whole lot more academic on this podcast after this season because I'm actually going to real school to learn about trauma and PTSD.
Speaker 2:But fear is the hallmark, is a gold standard symptom, right, and so I love the pocket prayer that you just said. Like and for my listeners out there, who you know, and I'm going to be doing my dissertation on why do some people keep the faith. I certainly had a dark night of the soul through my Bible across the room, asked you know, like John the Baptist did, are you sending to ask Jesus? Are you coming or you sending somebody else? Been through all of that. But you said something really, really important there that when we choose to know that he is our light and our salvation, so no matter how dark it gets and people listening to this podcast is pretty dark for them- oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Whom shall I fear? So he's saying no matter what you're going through, listener, no matter what trauma you have been through, it seems bad. Now, you know, I'm really onto this concept amber of already and not yet. We already have the kingdom of God, we already have had all things made new, we're already healed, but we're not yet. And so for those of us who are fearful and unless they say, if you live in this world right now and you're not fearful, particularly if you're a parent, any number of things, there's a lot to be afraid of, right, I mean, we're talking about right before he came on, how there was a hurricane and an earthquake at the same time in California. So fear is out there. And the writer of this song, who is David, is saying Whom shall I fear? Then? What are your thoughts on that second verse? I love this. Okay, so now we got ourselves. Okay. Whom shall I fear? God? The Psalmist says Whom shall I fear? Now, what that talk to us about that second verse.
Speaker 1:Well, and that's what I was going to say, I mean you can't really take the first without taking the second, because when it says he's like Whom shall I fear? So he's asking a question. And we have to remember, with David here we don't know exactly where he's at in his life, like it doesn't directly correspond with Samuel per se, like which is where David's life is happening, but we're pretty sure he's at war, which is most of David's life, most of his life. He's at war, he's running from something, and so it's when he says Whom shall I fear? Then he goes and says the Lord is the stronghold of my life, and that's just one of those things that at times are on repeat.
Speaker 1:So, for example, when I think about trauma and going through EMDR right now I've endured trauma myself it looks very different probably than a lot of people listening, but I can remember at times, and even now sometimes, being like you've said you're the stronghold of my life and so I'm asking you to be that and that's an angry response, but it's also calling. It reminds me of Moses when Moses is saying you said you weren't going to leave us and I'm not going if you don't go. So sometimes we have to let that anger be calling God to the promises that he said. And it's okay. God already knows what's going on in your life, he already knows your heart, he already knows your fears, so there's no reason to just keep running from him because you don't think he was there for you. I think that God prefers for us to say I feel like you've abandoned me and you said you wouldn't, so I need you to show up.
Speaker 2:And I love it. I love even the inflection in your own voice when you're like you said you would be my stronghold, like I think God loves that. And I was interviewing one of our other French, james, early a few minutes ago on the podcast and I was reminded of the verse in Matthew where it says what good father, if a son asks him for a fish, gives him a serpent. And so call God out on the stronghold right. And then in verse two, and to your point of this, is your point that we think that David probably was in war. But when evil man advanced against me and I'm in the NIV to devour my flesh, when my enemies in my foes attacked me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besieged me, my heart will not fear the war breakout against me. Here you go. Even then I will be confident. Yes.
Speaker 1:And I think, when I and I'm the type of person that I can read those things and I can just be like, oh well, sometimes, though, I go against my adversaries and foes and they don't stumble and fall.
Speaker 2:So what does that?
Speaker 1:mean? What does that mean? When you read this and then your experiences don't match up, and this is where I think that so much of knowing the lives of people that are in the word is so valuable, because there were times that David's enemies didn't fall. There were times when he sinned greatly and he experienced discipline for that, and so that's why it's so important to realize like he's not necessarily saying this always happens that every single time, every enemy is going to fall in battle, but instead it's like no, at the end of the day, no matter what happens, the enemy, the real enemy, will fall. You know, that's how I feel, like it's applicable in our life the enemy, in the end, does not win. Even if your suffering goes on until the day of Christ Jesus, he does not win.
Speaker 2:And I'm so glad that you brought that up, because there are people out there that are going. They're like, nope, I'm still being abused, or nope, I'm still yes.
Speaker 2:I'm still that, and so my enemies aren't falling. I remember reading this and I literally I wish I could show everybody, but I've got writing all over this psalm. But back to Amber. If our listeners and they're like you said, but Amy and Amber, you don't understand because they're not falling, you just ended that with a mic drop. In the end, Satan loses. I am so on to the Shane, and Shane version of you've already won.
Speaker 2:And being a creative. I think about things and I think about this concept of fighting battles that we've already won. And I think about this prize fighters like man, this is the fight of my life. I'm going to be set for life. If I win this fight, I am going to be good, there's nothing. I just got to show up and fight and win. And so he trains hard and but he doesn't listen to the trainers. He's like you don't need to do that, it's going to be fine, you're going to win. And but yet he doesn't. He's stubborn and he does all the things so that he could win that prize fight. And they shows up at the arena and nobody's there, except for the janitor. This is the vision that I got in my mind. Except for the janitor is like what are you doing here? And the prize fighters like I'm here to fight, so I don't have to worry about anything ever again. And the janitor looks at him weirdly. He's like dude, that battle's already gone one.
Speaker 2:You didn't have to fight it, and so you may not have, like David did, actual enemies coming after you.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:But if you do, you know, find yourself in the shelter, those wings that, Isaiah, at the six thoughts about you know and sometimes it's just for a moment.
Speaker 1:That's what I try to remind myself to like. We want peace and we want God to feel like he's the stronghold of our life 100% of the time, and sometimes we only quote unquote feel it for a very small amount of time when you're enduring great suffering. But those are the moments we do have to cling to, because, again, it's the reminders of God has not forsaken you. God has not forsaken you. It may feel like it and you may really be in a dark, dark place, but when you have that one experience of I don't know, maybe you see a butterfly outside your window and he lights down onto a sunflower, like that's a gift from the Lord to just let you delight for even a moment. And we got to cling to those things.
Speaker 2:We have to, and I love how the psalmist says even then, I will be confident. One thing I ask Of the Lord I'm in verse 4. Is that what I seek? That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All of the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. And so, to your point, amber the 1% of the time that we might be able to fill the presence. We were feeling it because we are drawing near to him.
Speaker 2:Yeah and we're actually doing what this verse says.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's where, after what I love about David in the Psalms too, as you can see him express Frustration and at some point he always comes back around to praise, right, and that's kind of that's kind of the flow of lament.
Speaker 1:A lot of times is this Frustration confession and then coming back around to praise. And so this is where in this verse 4, where my heart I can feel it really soft and you know, like I may say, you've said you were the stronghold of my life, and so I'm asking you to be that, because it doesn't feel like that right now and then it's, but I really do want to dwell in your house all the days of my life. So let it be true, god, like, let that be my story that no matter what I face, no matter where I am Good, bad, ugly, whatever it is like I want to dwell in your house forever. I want to gaze upon your beauty, right, and that's where your heart begins to soften again. I'm like, okay, no, this is who God is. There is beauty, there is goodness, and just got to keep asking for it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, keep asking for it. And we know the writer of Hebrews says draw near to God and he will draw near to us. And I think, too, that it's worth pointing out that when we are dwelling with God, when we're walking with God, jesus himself promised us in this world you will have trouble. If you follow me, you really gonna have trouble, yeah, and so in the, in those dark times, know that if you are, I remain confident that I will remain in the house of the Lord Forever and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. Like you mentioned, like you mentioned Amber, when it is so, so dark, there's something, something that you could look at. Pingo, my god did that.
Speaker 2:It's really really dark. It's really really dark. But he cares about the sparrow on the ground, he cares about the butterflies, he cares about every living being, but he cares chiefly about us, mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:How do we? You know, and this is more of a rhetorical question I don't know how we could expect relief from pain and suffering unless we are abiding and dwelling.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I Think the human heart Longs to be free of pain and suffering, and that doesn't matter for sure if you're a Christian or not. That is Simply bearing the image of God, because we have something in us that says there's something more to life than this, and no matter who you ascribe that to, you long for that, like you want that so bad, because we all know that peace and freedom and dwelling with the Lord is the best, even if we don't give it the right name.
Speaker 1:Yeah, otherwise, if that wasn't true, you wouldn't have all the movies that always have the. You know the redeemer that comes along, we just give him a different name. Um, but that's every story from the beginning of time. Good versus evil is good wins. We want good to win, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we want, and it doesn't always look like it's gonna win, but, but good wins. And yeah, I think you're right. I think that you know when we when, when we understand that this world is not our home, and and so we get this opportunity to dwell In the house of the Lord. And so that in verse 5, for in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in his dwelling, he will hide me in the shelter of the tabernacle and set my feet high upon the rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me at his tabernacle, will sacrifice the shouts of joy, I will sing and make music to the Lord. And so here's where I have a question for my people out there, trot, whether we call on it trauma, whether we call on it pain in your day of trouble, to Ambers point, the human heart wants freedom and Unfortunately, the human brain doesn't default to God as freedom the human brain defaults to all of my ways of getting out of the dark brings freedom.
Speaker 1:And what can I do right now to get myself in a quote unquote safe place? And sometimes that's just unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Speaker 2:Thousand percent. What can I do right now, instead of sitting in the pain and actually feeling what it's like to dwell in the house of the Lord? It's to dwell with the most high, to have him set our feet upon a rock, meaning nothing's going to touch you. I know it feels like it, but nothing is going to touch you. What? What comes to your mind for those verses, starting in verse four?
Speaker 1:Well, I've spent the last several days, since I knew we were having this conversation, just reading this over and over again daily, and this morning it was. What it says in verse 5 and ESV is he will conceal me under the cover of his tent. And so there's that covering, and Then there's the he will lift me high upon a rock. And so I found myself praying over my children, praying over my husband, praying over all kinds of people in my life.
Speaker 1:God conceal us because concealing something is hiding it, and I'm not talking about just Protection here as much as, like you know, we live on the other side of the cross, and so the blood of Christ covers us to where God sees us differently. He doesn't see the sin and the heartache he knows that's happening but he sees us as the righteousness of Christ. That's what he sees when he looks at you. So you don't earn his love. You can't do anything better or worse to get more of his love. Like no, that's not the gospel. And so when I see this and I see he can seal me under the cover of your tent, in David's time that was the covering of sacrifices. In our time, that's the covering of the blood of Christ, and it's only then that you can be lifted up on the rock. And so I, yeah, I just found myself praying for that, covering that concealing to where I'm truly hidden in Christ, and then I know that full will.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I love that so much because when that's our prayer and I love that, that version of it when I think of being concealed you know I didn't have the privilege of having parents or a father or mother who picked me up and just told me, but that's, that's the image that comes in my mind when I think of that like I'm gonna conceal you with my love, like with my blood. I'm like you said, I see you as Sanctified, I see you as said apart, I see you as my child and, by the way, you're a co-heir with Jesus Mm-hmm. And so being covered with that blood Somehow along the way, amber, making that choice, whether it's a transaction that we feel like doing or not, yeah, sitting in pain when things hurt, with dwelling with him, with the most high, allowing his, that blood bought Peace and freedom that we so want right because we will not default to Him to do it.
Speaker 2:We will default to all the other things, but if we will just allow ourselves to let it and sit and hurt, then we understand Hebrews. One of my favorite verses in this book has been mentioned so many times on this podcast. We do not serve a high priest who is unfamiliar with our sufferings. And so and there's dark places when he's covering us with his blood. It's like I hesitate to say this because there was a campaign and I'm not sure whether I agree with it or not, but he gets us.
Speaker 1:I guess I think that's why there's a campaign called that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, I just haven't researched enough to endorse it. But he gets us because he's been there, and so I love that. You pointed out that. And then, and like you said, he conceals us and then right, so we have to submit under the blood of Christ, and then he exalts us and puts our feet upon a rock.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I mean, and then he goes on to say, and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me and we just default to. That just means we're victorious. Like, yeah, and I mean, I think that is part of it. But the implication there is more than just, oh, I get the upper hand on people on earth. It's like, no, it's because you are called and chosen and under the blood of the lamb, that now you can lift your head, even if your physical enemies don't, or circumstances don't change. And there's just so much beauty in that because I just I remember being younger and thinking, you know, you start thinking like why do I feel like I need to pray to receive Christ again when I've already done that? Like you feel this. It's like if you were raised in the church, you know you. I love my friends who went to camp Save, save me every night.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 1:That's right and I mean I remember thinking like why do people do this? Why is this every night? You know I didn't grow up going to church camp, but you know my friends will say I got saved every summer and we laugh about it.
Speaker 1:But there's this book out there called the gospel primer, and it's just this thin little book where it talks about how we need the gospel every day. And I appreciate it so much because I think there's great value. And it's not because you didn't accept it for real the first time, it's because there is freedom and power in saying again Lord, I need you, like I need that covering of the blood, I need the forgiveness, and I know you've already done it. But what I'm asking you to do is do it again today, even though I know you already have. It's more of a reminder, it's more of a, you know, like putting up the ebonyzer, so that because we forget we're forgetful creatures we remember all the bad stuff real easy, but we do not remember all the good stuff.
Speaker 2:It's so true, and like even me, you and I were having a conversation as a friend before I got on here, and some of the things I'm worried about, compared to what the Lord has already done, is like it's like it makes no sense and so but. But we need to not judge ourselves when we think that we just need to come back to this strength, this, this, this scripture and the fact that, like you said, we can't earn it, we, you know. The Cory Asbury song comes to my mind.
Speaker 2:We didn't do anything for the reckless love of God, nothing, zero, no. And so I think that there's so much power and choice and, amber as I this is this will be the 104th or fifth episode that I've been on doing the Wednesdays with the Watson podcast I'm convinced, now more than ever, that there's no words that I can get behind this microphone with and say to a group of people who have been through trauma that do not include Jesus and hope and my saying I know this sucks. I know it's hard for you.
Speaker 2:But either he's God or he's not. Now, if you choose to believe that he's not God, you're going to have a much more difficult life than if you at least try to lean into the good news and the completed work of Jesus on the cross. So, as you guys are listening to, you want to abide in the shelter of the most high. You want this, continue abiding, you want this gospel like, like Amber said Romans 12, 1 and 2 comes to mind no, you don't have to ask the Lord to be coming to your heart and save you and forgive you of your sins every single day, but you do need to go into his presence with singing and you do need to acknowledge him or you are going to feel very hung out, to dry and a lot like the the laments of David.
Speaker 1:And I mean you can come before him and honestly like that, like if today is the day or today is the moment where you're like Lord. I don't feel like singing, I'm frustrated today. I just want you to know I'm here, I'm available, and I really need your grace more today than I've ever needed it. Or maybe it's like today's going to be a good day. It's, you know, the joy of the Lord's, my strength. So if you read the Psalms, all of them, you are going to see every emotion you can experience through the writers of the Psalms, which means God can and does accept it. The worst thing we can do is to not engage with him. And so just be honest, I'm hurting, I'm sad, I'm happy, I really, really want this, and I'm disappointed that you said no, all of it, all of it. And then thank him. When you see great things, thank him. You know so. He wants all of us. He really does, and David was so good about giving him all of themselves all of himself, for sure.
Speaker 2:And, like you said, you can read through most of them and you see this whole cycle of things are horrible, but you're great. And then, in the one episode with James, we did the psalm right before this one, or no, we did Psalm 22. So it was literally things are terrible, but you're good. Things are terrible but you're good. I suck God.
Speaker 2:But, yes, that you taught me to trust you from the beginning. But things are good, you know, and so we people, christians, the church, need to feel the freedom to talk real to God and just be like Jacob refused to walk out of that wrestling match without the blessing, and you know what our blessing needs to be you are my stronghold. Hang on to me because this is a cat five hurricane that's right Coming away Well, and I love that because that's what David says in verse seven.
Speaker 1:It's like he switches again here. Oh Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me, like he is asking him, please. You know you can hear the pleading and so if you don't know what to say to the Lord, like in the Bible, like that's highlighted for me, because that's become a prayer for me, another pocket prayer, like Lord, I'm crying to you and I am begging you for your grace, I'm asking you to answer me, please, please, please. And I think that opens up communication sometimes to even recognize maybe that he is answering you and you just didn't notice that it wasn't exactly what you wanted. But you know, it's like I tell my kids and other people that I've spoken to your place at the table is secure Once you accept Christ. He is not kicking you out. You know there's no like your family gets mad at you and you're not welcome at the dinner table anymore. No, you're always welcome.
Speaker 1:But who enjoys going to a dinner table and sitting in silence and never engaging with the people at the table? And that's so often what we do with God. We come and sit at his table and we participate in the meal with him and never speak to him, never get to know him, never let him get to know us, and I'm like, no, it could be a little bit of bickering back and forth, a little bit of happy, a little bit of sad, you know. I mean like think about it that way, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think people think that they can go to church and, like you said, all the platitudes, all the things, yes. And and then sit down at the table with Jesus and, you know, proverbially be on their phones or not really realizing the privilege that we have.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Again, as the writer of Hebrews, quickly becoming one of my favorite books of the Bible, talks about that we could approach the throne boldly. That's right, with all of our pain, Yep. And even God. You did this. You're God, you're all knowing, you're all powerful. I'm reading all these things in the Bible that are confusing me. You did this. Fix it and give me a humble heart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, give me a humble heart. And verse eight, my heart says if you seek his face, your face, Lord, I will seek. Yeah, we're asking one choice Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper. Do not reject me, Lord. And this next verse is highlighted, underlined, circled and all the things in my Bible, as you would expect it to be. Because the writer of Psalm says that my father and mother forsake me. The Lord will receive me. And then David says okay, my father made so. Help, teach me your way, Lord. Lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors, Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes. Again, we think this is a war thing, but when my father and mother forsake me, you lifted me up. We don't compare traumas on the Wednesdays with Watson podcasts, but both of us have parent wounds. Just because mine, physically left, is not any different than yours.
Speaker 1:A hard thing.
Speaker 2:Go back to that dwelling, go back up to that verse Covering, where he doesn't see me as an orphan. He doesn't see us as wounded by the people that were supposed to take care of us. He sees his righteousness. He sees an opportunity to make purpose out of it. I love, amber, the last two verses. I would love your take on it. I got chills Again. I'm reading the NIV.
Speaker 1:Do you want to read it or do you want me to read it? I want you to read it. Okay, verse 13 and 14 say I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord.
Speaker 1:So I have been, and you know this, but the listeners don't. I mean, I've done a lot of research on gratitude, and gratitude Practice has been a transformative practice in my life, rhythm, whatever you want to call it habit, and it moved from just writing things down into a journal to practicing it around my table in the sense of, you know, on someone's birthday we may say we all, we're all going to share something about Bennett that we're thankful for and that we love about him Two practices of walking through the neighborhood and doing five senses you know I'm going to name five things I smell that I'm thankful for, and so on and so forth. And it has trained my brain to look upon the goodness of the Lord and the land of the living, because we are being trained. A book that I'm reading right now just talks about that. What we love is what forms us, and we are being trained by whatever we take in. Whatever we take in is what's forming us. If we take in mostly bad news, it's forming us. If we take in the word of God, it's forming us. If we scroll Instagram all day long, it's forming us, and this is not judgmental things. Having this conversation with you, it's forming me. No matter what we do, we're being formed by that, and so we have to train our eyes if we want to see.
Speaker 1:Because he says I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord and the land of the living. Now. He was in battle and he was, you know, like oh, am I going to die here? Am I going to? You know what's going to happen? But it's not that different from where we are today.
Speaker 1:Yes, we're not in physical war, but we are inundated with things that say this place is bad, there's a lot to fear, but oh, there's so much goodness of the Lord and the land of the living when we just open our eyes to it. Pay attention to the kids playing on a playground. That's the goodness of the Lord. Pay attention to the largest oak tree that you can find in your neighborhood. That's the goodness of the Lord, you know, pay attention to the waves that crash over and over and over again, never stopping. It's the goodness of the Lord, people laughing around a dinner table. It's the goodness of the Lord, you know, your favorite coffee. Whatever it may be, it really is everywhere, but it's so much a part of our life that we don't even pay attention.
Speaker 2:And so when yep, like you said.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so I look at that and then I see that he was waiting for an outcome to David. Was waiting for an outcome and he believed that he was going to be set free from that, and so I think we have to cling on to all those little good things in order to see God's goodness while we're waiting to be delivered from the really hard thing we're part of, whatever that may be Right. It's some of my favorite verses.
Speaker 2:Some of my favorite verses in the Bible. It's actually so good and I love how to how the NIV words that I actually get chills every time I read it, because the NIV says I am still, I am still confident of this.
Speaker 2:So I am still after all of that, I am still confident of this that I will see the goodness of the Lord and the land of the living. And then, of course, I love, in verse 14, how God does this for us. Even though he made us the smartest living beings, he knows sometimes we need some, some help. So he says it to us twice Wait, wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart. Under the shadow of his wings and under the covering in his presence, as we talked about, be strong and take heart. And then he says and wait for the Lord.
Speaker 2:And Amber, I just know, I just know, and I know you do too, going through dark times in our lives. You wonder is the light ever going to come on? And it might not. And for some people listening, you may be there, but I will tell you where what can't coexist, and that is the Holy Spirit and evil, not in the light. So I'd love, I'd love for you to give the listeners some parting words on on this Psalm and some some some encouragement, as you have all throughout this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but we don't have to live oppressed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think the last thing that I would say is that intentionally choosing to wake yourself up to God's goodness around you really does open your eyes to a light that you may have never seen, and I mean that Christ's light, no matter where he shines. But sometimes, as a Christian, you're like I know I'm supposed to be all these things and experience all these things, but I'm just not, and we can take that on ourselves, and sometimes it is our fault, but sometimes it really is. It's just that your brain has been trained in a way to where you just tend to always look at things as the worst possible thing, or that when something does happen, you automatically are thinking about it's all going to implode next week. And then some of you really are.
Speaker 1:Your life is just a living hell. And so I would say start today by collecting what we call 10 joy points. You know, go outside and actually look for 10 wonderful things and write them down on a piece of paper. That seems so hokey and da, da, da, da da. But I promise you, if you do that faithfully for a while, it's not like everything's going to be great and roses, but you are going to be amazed at how your senses begin to wake up to the goodness of God and his presence in your life, and then you begin that slow journey of just seeing him, and really hard things.
Speaker 2:I said the reporting words I'm not going to back, I'm not going to keep talking, but I love that idea.
Speaker 1:It changes me.
Speaker 2:Because we have to. Yeah, and it's funny because I've seen that actually since I've known you, because it's so interesting, because everyone that I've interviewed has brought up gratitude. Yeah, I think that, no matter how dark it gets, all the you know, and I think that I brought up that when my father and mother forsakes me, first for a reason, because, if you're new to the Wednesdays of the Watson podcast, I was abandoned by my by my biological mom, and my dad died when I was very young, and so that verse has often been very precious to me, and so I know that there are listeners out there like me who have parental trauma, whether they abandoned you or you lived in the same house with them, and our listeners can go back and listen to your episode. Trauma and intact families, and I'll link that here. Regardless of where that wound is, the Lord will lift us up.
Speaker 2:And then I think about all the things that you said about. You know the steps that we need to get through so that he can set us on a higher, our foot on a higher rock, and so you know, so often people have been through some pretty bad things just thinking you know what I'm unworthless. God doesn't care. You know he doesn't want me in his presence, but I want you to think about something, as I really am gonna close out the podcast with this, I want you to think about something. What would you say if, after you hear the last tune of this outro on this podcast, sit down at a proverbial table with God? Would you go to the mat with them so that you can enjoy his covering? Really want you to think about that, listeners, because I am. I've got a meeting after this, but I'm gonna plan later and go. Okay, let's sit down, because God can handle it. He loves us so much.
Speaker 2:And so, guys, read the Psalms, if you're, because it is just a beautiful picture of life. Amber is right our heart seeks freedom, except for our brain picks the wrong kind of freedom. And so, if you do not know Jesus as your personal savior, I Would love it if you had either contact Amber or myself. Both of them will be at the very top of the show notes of how you can contact us. We would love to introduce you to the star of the story so that you can go toe to toe, so that you can show up at the arena and the janitor tell you that battle you're fighting Already better Ever. Thank you for the podcast, and so I will close. I will close like I always do, and I love doing this with my friends. So I declared over Amber and I declared over all of our listeners you are seen, you're known, you were heard, you're loved and you're so, so value, so valuable, that Jesus gave his life for you so that you can have the freedom that we talked about today.
Speaker 3:Make you find that freedom. We'll see you guys in two weeks. You, you, my.