Feelings can get me in trouble. On those days when I wake up more tired than when I went to bed, I really don’t feel like starting the day. And my mood is in need of a serious boost. 

The fight begins when I glance at the alarm clock. I’m convinced a few more minutes of sleep are exactly what I need. Waking with a start, I realize I must have drifted off. Trying to make up for lost time sets me on edge. Tension rises and I begin listening to the shaming voices inside my head. Have you ever been there?

Words like lazy, incompetent, and loser bubble to the surface and if I’m not careful, become the labels I wear like clothing throughout the day. But my emotions don’t have to control me. When they don’t line up with the truth, I can send my emotions packing.

David was no stranger to emotions. A quick skim through the book of Psalms, paints a picture of some heavy trials this young man endured. Real life battles with a lion, a bear, and a giant make my oversleeping laughable. 

As a shepherd, David’s early years were often spent alone. He protected his flock and had countless hours to talk to God. And that’s exactly what he did. No matter what David was feeling, he knew the importance of staying connected to the Lord. 

David’s love for the Lord and his trust in Him are a continual thread woven throughout the book of Psalms:

Did David face discouragement and difficulties like you and I? Absolutely. And he wasn’t perfect – he had his fair share of setbacks. But what I love about David is he shared the good, bad, and ugly with his God and at the end of their time together, David was lifting his voice in praise to Him.

David may not have understood the reason why he felt so down, but he chose to turn it over to God, knowing He would help. God’s presence trumps our times of discouragement. Like David, we can praise Him for the help He gives.

The Lord referred to David as “a man after his own heart.” Why did God use these words to describe David? I believe it was because David pursued a close relationship with the Lord and wanted to live for Him. David knew he needed the Lord every hour of every day. He sought the Lord in the good times and the bad and stayed connected to Him.

There’s hope for you and I, too. Developing a close relationship with the Lord will give us the strength we need to choose truth over our feelings. Stay connected to Christ.