The Discipline of Encouraging Your Soul

David's secret to overcoming fear, discouragement, and distress.

In Psalm 103:1-2, David preaches to his own soul, commanding it to praise God and actively remember His blessings. Instead of listening to his feelings, he directs his mind, will, and emotions to honor the Lord, believe for His guidance, and willingly act instead of either defending himself or living in fear whenever he was faced with challenges.

Overcoming Discouragement

He overcame discouragement. Instead of waiting for his feelings to change, he commanded his soul to worship, especially speaking faith to his own soul. He mastered the skill of encouraging his soul and did not wait for anyone to encourage him.

Remembering God's Goodness in His Life

He recollected the goodness of God in his life, such as His deliverance, strength to face challenges, forgiveness, and other benefits.

He Engaged Wholeheartedly in the Midst of Challenges

He learned to face anything in the name of the LORD his God.

In Psalm 42:5, 11 and Psalm 43:5, he commanded his soul and said, "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him."

In Psalm 62:5-6, "My soul, wait silently for God alone. For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved."

In Psalm 104:1, "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty."

In Psalm 116:7, "Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you."

In Psalm 146:1, "Hallelujah! O my soul, praise GOD! All my life long I'll praise GOD, singing songs to my God as long as I live."

These passages reveal a conviction in God in the midst of distress. Giving praise, resting in God, and overcoming discouragement by himself instead of relying on anyone or anything in life.

David must have learned this key in his life as he ran from Saul the king (1 Samuel 18-19), as Saul hunted him to kill him, later when he fled from his own son Absalom (2 Samuel 15-18), and through the consequences of his personal sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-23).

In 1 Samuel 30:6, we read:

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

This event took place during the crisis at Ziklag. While David and his six hundred loyal men were away, Amalekite raiders struck their camp, burned the city, and took all the women and children captive.

When the men returned and saw the devastation, they wept until they had no strength left to weep. In their extreme grief and bitterness, the men turned on David and blamed him for the tragedy, openly plotting to stone him.

Instead of panic, despair, or pleading with his men, David isolated his focus and encouraged himself by deliberately turning to the Lord. Immediately following this internal anchoring, David sought the priest, inquired of God, and successfully rescued every single captive without losing a single soul.

So, David set his focus on God and acted as the LORD directed him. This is the reason God said, "a man after My own heart." This is also the key difference between King David and King Saul. When David was in distress, he strengthened himself in the LORD, but Saul was in absolute terror and panic. David inquired of God and acted based on His direction. Saul inquired of a forbidden spirit, and God never answered him.

SOW THIS WORD INTO YOUR SOUL

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