I am failing physically, emotionally and spiritually! “But God!”

Psalm 73: 26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

“My flesh and my heart may fail" defines despondency, meaning an experience of failure, unhappiness, sadness, hopelessness and misery. There are three parts to this little phrase.

"My flesh" – there is a physical component to failure.  The body weakens; there are aches, pains, fatigue and eventually the risk of serious illness as a result of constant despondency – ulcers, diabetes, strokes, heart decease and many more. And when “my flesh” fails me, there always is exhaustion.

Secondly, "and my heart may fail" – which means that there is an emotional-spiritual dimension to my despondent experience of being a failure.  We experience emotions that can be described as feelings of being discouraged, depressed, gloomy and burned out.

Thirdly, there is this word, "fail" in this verse. It means that I have come to my wits end, depleted of resources and of a vision for my life and the future.

Is it a sin to feel that I am failing physically, emotionally and spiritually?

Under sad and hopeless circumstances it is no sin to feel despondent. Many of the exemplary believers in the Scriptures experienced deep and dark sadness - and even hopelessness. Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow in Gethsemane.

But, what is a sin is to yield to despondency. To make it your partner for life, to refuse to counter-attack it and to think that God cannot reach you in that dark space – or to believe that God cannot do something new in your life and change your broken heart into a source of fresh gladness and joy!

The most important 2 words in this verse are: "But God..."

Psalm 73:26 contains this truth: "My flesh and my heart may fail":

And then we launch the spiritual counter attack by saying:  “but God.”

So here we are. Often feeling that life left us failing, empty and without vision, plan or joy.

The Scripture reminds us of the counter attack we are called to:  “But God”. 

God is the strength of my life.

And God is my portion forever!

God is my help, my salvation.  In Jesus Christ I am saved from even my failures, sadness and hopelessness.

Despondency comes from many places.

But faith comes from one place only. It comes from the willingness to say: “but God.”

But God can fill me with gladness again – in and through Jesus Christ, my almighty Lord.