. . . I get discouraged and depressed; everything seems dark; I just let stuff slide.

. . . I get hopeless and fearful.

. . . I get angry and bitter; I allow myself to be unkind and inconsiderate; my natural selfishness really “shines” through.

. . . I do stupid stuff — purposefully — that I know I shouldn’t do and normally don’t want to do. Maybe careless (or worse) driving. Maybe careless (or worse) Web browsing. Maybe careless (or worse) writing and speaking. Maybe careless (or worse) reading and thinking and listening and looking. Maybe evil surmising and wrong imagining and ungodly speaking. Maybe purposefully flaunting rules, God’s or man’s.

. . . I pray? And read my Bible? And listen to God-exalting praise music? And sing such music? And read God-lifting, God-ward books? And ask others to pray for me?

I wonder how many people — even “mature” and “stable” and “strong” and “dedicated” Christians like I — respond with one or more of the first four. I suppose the majority.

This is my testimony:

“In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me” (1).

But I still have to resist and reject the first four above. I don’t always succeed. In fact, it seems I fail so often.

However, I refuse to give up. By the forgiveness and grace of God, I will continue trying.

from Psalm 120:1

A little bit more from Psalm 120: Mine or Theirs?