Topic: The blessing of Introspection
Text: Psalm 42
Key verse: Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. Psalm 42:5

The human soul is so powerful that it must never be left without a guardian. The Spirit of man has a constant battle with the soul over who should be in control over man, who you listen to determines the course of your life, victory or bondage, failure or success, sadness, or Joy.  The art of quiet introspection can be extremely valuable. Introspection is defined as the process of examining one’s thoughts and feelings.
In our text today, the psalmist spent time in introspection and realized his soul was in a bad place and he called it back into alignment with the truth and the will of God. Many have not learned the value of meditation or spending time quietly in solitude. This practice gives you time to examine your soul and purge yourself of harmful thought processes, it helps you to renew your mind with the word of God and focus on the things that matter most to you in life.
Some of the different mental issues that plague us in a society like self-hate, anxiety, depression, and suicide often arise when people spend time brooding without the blessing of a guardian to help them manage their thoughts. The best of believers are faced once in a while with doubts about God’s love and faithfulness due to adverse life issues, but God has not left us comfortless, we have the Holy Spirit as a guardian.
“O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief,  oppressed by my enemies?”
Sometimes we feel God is so far away and we are abandoned, at other times people taunt us and make fun of our faith because of our circumstances. This is when we must rely on the Holy Spirit for strength and comfort. Jesus felt that way too on the Cross.
“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.” Hebrews 4:15
“The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope”. Psalm 34:18
 “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord\’s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not.” Lamentations 3:21-22
God is never far from us, he dwells within us.  As we turn to praise and worship during those difficult seasons, God shows up most amazingly.
“But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life”.
We have a promise from Jesus which we must hold unto as we are faced with challenging situations and seasons like the one we live in now.
 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[e] who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.  No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you”. John 14:16-18
 “In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words” Romans 8:26
Introspection helps us examine our feelings, *“Follow your heart”*, they say; It simply means be guided by your feelings or emotions.  A famous quote I want you to see says, “I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them”. Oscar Wilde
To have a winning mindset you must learn to *rule* your thoughts and emotions, this is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Learn to deepen your intimacy with the Holy Spirit, create time for fellowship, learn how He speaks to you, learn to pour out your thoughts to Holy Spirit in songs, laments, and journaling. Information overload is the new normal, learn to manage your thoughts and feelings with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The emotion the Holy Spirit produces is what we know as the fruit of the Spirit. Cultivate them the way a farmer cultivates his crops. That is the way it works!
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22
Prayer:
May the Lord help you to pay the price to learn, grow, and walk in the truths God is revealing to us daily in this series in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings to you.

Roses&Thorns