Psalm 116:7

            Trouble, sorrow, sickness and adversity can do a real number on the soul. They can affect us in some most unusual ways. Sometimes they can cause us to become restless, worried, scared and anxious. The enemy of our souls, the devil, loves when we are restless and nervous. Oftentimes if we are not careful, we can become so mentally distressed and disturbed that depression sets in to further destabilize our spiritual peace and composure. Here in this case, as the psalmist faced and encountered his affliction, instead of remaining deflated and downcast, he sternly commands his soul to get up and return to a place of rest and relief. 

            Honestly, today too many of us are needlessly stressed out to the point of physical and mental illness. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves, is this really God’s will for us to be as mentally disturbed by the cares of this life as we presently are? When we recite Psalm 23 as we often do – do we really mean verse two as a fulfilled reality in our lives? “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside still waters.” Is this really a realized truth for us or are we just saying it mechanically and repetitiously? That same illustrious Psalm reminds us that the great Shepherd “restores our souls and leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23: 3). 

            Seeing that God is always faithful to His Word, I therefore think that we need to become as resolute as David was in commanding our souls to return unto its rest. Please note, it is we who have drifted and moved away from our appointed position of divine calmness and tranquility. Just like how God uses the pastor and evangelist and prophet to speak to us, we need also to be pastor, evangelist and prophet to our own souls. 

            My simple prayer for this Region is that we would learn especially in these restless times, how to command and marshal our souls to return to rest. I pray that we will forever keep in mind that He has indeed dealt bountifully with us – that He has lavished every goodness upon us, especially in these dark times of strain and stress. I pray that we will always remember that He has indeed delivered our souls from death, our eyes from tears and our feet from falling (v8). May we always remember that we were brought low, and He helped us (v6). I pray that we will continue to walk before the Lord in the land of the living – that though greatly afflicted we shall speedily recover (v10). I pray that out of every danger, we shall be delivered and after every deliverance, devotion shall be our deep, overwhelming, genuine response (v14). I pray that we will love God supremely. My simple prayer is that our souls will find rest! 

Leroy V. Greenaway 

Presiding Bishop – Northeast Region

October 1st, 2022