ANNE: I can't eat. I can never eat when I'm in the depths of despair.
MARILLA: The depths of despair?
ANNE: Can you eat when you're that way?
MARILLA: I've never been that way.
ANNE: Can't you even imagine you're in the depths of despair?
MARILLA: No, I can not. To despair is to turn your back on God.
From the movie "Anne of Green Gables"
Poor Anne Shirley. She is in the "depths of despair" because she has learned that Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert wanted a boy, which Anne is most certainly not.
Every time I watch "Anne of Green Gables" Marilla's reply to Anne moves me. Perhaps it is because when I've been tempted to despair, I haven't considered that my doing so truly involves turning my back on God. Interestingly, when I make a cannonball dive for despair it is because I think God has turned His back on me.
Sometimes my self-talk sounds like Anne, herself: "Mrs. Hammond told me that God made my hair red on purpose, and I've never cared for him since."
Emotions about what I want God to do can be dangerous. When I focus on the God of the universe in this way, I have relegated Him to having the unfavorable position of simply being my cosmic vending machine. Instead of a relationship, I receive things that I want. Instead of a Savior, I run the show by telling God how situations are going to turn out.
Since no amount of wishing will ever put me in charge, when those emotions of despair come, watch out! Unlike Anne, I can eat when I'm in the depths of despair.
Since despair and an incorrect perception of God isn't in my best interest, what's the antidote? In short, it comes from being anxious about nothing, praying about everything and fighting against the enemy of despair by carefully monitoring what I think (Philippians 4:6-9).
Anything that pulls my heart in two different directions is a reminder that I should talk to God about it. And, in my case, that means I do a lot of talking to God. After I share the situation and my feelings with Him, I ask Him to take care of the situation and tell Him that I trust Him for the outcome. Peace inexplicably floods my heart when I pray about my emotions and focus on aligning my thoughts with what is true and lovely.
Simple yet profound. That's the Christian experience in a nutshell.
If you'd like more information on these concepts, please click here to view Jon Benzinger's teaching at Compass Bible Church last weekend called Unimaginable Peace. Jon did a fantastic job of reminding us that we must war against despair as if it is a lion coming to kill us. After all, isn't peace worth a fight?
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving us, through Your divine power, all we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of You who called us by Your own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3). We love You, Lord, and are willing to fight for peace by ruling our emotions rather than letting them rule us. Thank You for never turning Your back on Your children.
Because of Jesus and In His name,
Amen
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