“Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” Psalm 143:8b

We came in the door just before midnight following a long and stimulating visit with some local friends.

In spite of this wonderfully encouraging time, my heart was as heavy as my eyelids, and I longed to just drop into bed and forget ‘til the morning the things that weighed on my heart.

However, the Lord reminded me of the importance of “lifting my soul” to Him, getting out my troubled thoughts and “processing” them. So I sat down with my journal and began to write about the email I’d gotten that day.

“Lord, after getting that negative, condemning email from Charlie I am angry, disappointed, discouraged and hurt – I feel sorry for myself! I feel like reacting in a similar way, writing back and fully, exquisitely expressing my anger—but that is not your way, Lord. I know the key is to not give in to my negative response flowing out of self-pity and a sense of failure, but to praise you, Lord, for the unseen good you are working in this situation both in Charlie and in me, and to press on in truth.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of Psalm 50:23, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.’ Thank you for helping me to ever lift up your name, to praise you and move on.”

There was a release of the burden (as in this picture of handing it over to Jesus) as I thanked God for the situation and praised Him for what He was doing. It was fulfillment of David’s prayer, “Rejoice the soul of your servant, O Lord, for to you I lift up my soul” (Ps. 86:4, NKJV). That night I slept wonderfully and deeply, waking refreshed in spite of the late night. The rest of the story tomorrow.