Intro:
Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your daily eword. Last week we started a new series that am I hoping will be a wonderful blessing to you. I think we all have been in a dry place before, and need to be refreshed. In the coming weeks we will be talking about breathing a breath of fresh air in our life, and this week is all about the doldrums. How we got there, and how to get out. I hope these daily encouragements designed to harmonize with the study, will help you take a deep breath and breathe in all that God has for you. If you haven’t joined periscope, I encourage you to do so today. Frequently I will be pericsoping to you about your dailyeword. Listen, watch and show me some heart!
What does the word doldrums mean to you? It can mean stagnation, lethargy, boredom, despondency, the blues, gloom, misery, and even despair. You might think that someone in the “doldrums” got there because they were pessimistic, but not necessarily. Even great characters in the Bible show us that you can be on top of the world one day, and in the depths of despair the next. David and Elijah for example. The devil often works that way. We can have a wonderful victory, and then post victory blues set in. It even happens with moms who have a beautiful baby, and then instead of enjoying this wonderful season of new motherhood, post partum depression sets in. A wonderful blessing arrives, and the new mom is miserable, full of guilt and shame, and feels like a failure. We may not all have experienced all of those synonyms for the doldrums, but every person has had the opportunity to be ensnared by the enemy of our souls with discouragement, and he likes to keeps us snared as long as possible. I love Psalms 61 which says this in The Message Bible:
God, listen to me shout,
Bend an ear to my prayer
When I’m far from anywhere
Down to my last gasp,
I call out, guide me up High Rock Mountain
You’ve always given me breathing room,
A place to get away from it all
A lifelong pass to your safe house,
An open invitation as your guest
You’ve always taken me seriously, God,
Make me welcome among those who know and love you.
God gives us breathing room! Sounds like the fresh air you might be needing right now.