Because I am strongly motivated by the gift of mercy, I have a tendency to identify easily with others in their joy, or in their sorrow, or in their pain. I “feel” what others feel very easily. I also have a weakness that works against me in my motivation. I tend to hear the lies of the enemy very easily, too. I “feel” the condemnation of the enemy as well as the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Once again, it is the Word of the Lord, His voice, that reminds me who I am and who my Father is. One of the most practical and simple disciplines I have used and continue to use against the lies of the enemy I learned from the life of King David.

In 1 Samuel we find an amazing account of a moment of sheer despair in the life of David. Read the following passage and see if you can find the nugget of amazing wisdom concerning the practical and simple discipline I am referring to:

1 Samuel 30:1-6 KJV

1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that [were] therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried [them] away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, [it was] burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that [were] with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

Did you find that simple yet profound nugget of wisdom David incorporated into his own life? Its is so simple yet such a powerful weapon in our arsenal of spiritual and mental health. David encouraged himself in the Lord. What I came to realize is that, for many years, I had already been doing just that! As I made it an intentional part of my daily disciplines in my relationship with Jesus, I wrote a song to serve as the perfect song during a very rough season of my life…and I continue to use that song to this day! This song - Wider Than the Ocean - is how I encouraged my own heart on November 20, 1991. I will include a link near the end of this teaching so you can hear the song for yourself and begin encouraging your own self in the Lord.

My absolute favorite way of encouraging myself in the Lord is to sing songs about His great and massive love for me. In any situation, under any circumstance - even in my own moments of failure - God still loves me! When I am fearful or anxious, I encourage myself with the truth of God’s love for me and fear and anxiety are vanquished. God, and His love, are in control!

Romans 11:33-36 NASB reminds us of His massiveness:

33 Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM, THAT IT WOULD BE PAID BACK TO HIM? 36 For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him [be] the glory forever. Amen.

God’s love is so massive our human brains cannot fully understand or comprehend it. I have found that simply believing He loves me and receiving that love is like being swallowed up in the most amazing ocean of pure love and joy in the universe.

Psalm 93:3-5 NASB says,

3 The floods have lifted up, LORD,

The floods have lifted up their voice,

The floods lift up their pounding waves.

4 More than the sounds of many waters,

[Than] the mighty breakers of the sea,

The LORD on high is mighty.

5 Your testimonies are fully confirmed;

Holiness is pleasing to Your house, LORD, forevermore.

When I think of God’s love, I am often drawn to comparing the massiveness of that love to the first time I ever saw the ocean. Its vastness and its might took my breath away. The truth is, His love still takes my breath away. His love truly is wider than the ocean and deeper than the sea…and then some. Plunge into the depths of that love today and find the needs of your heart met beyond your wildest dreams.

Psalm 98:4-8 NASB tells us to:

4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;

Be cheerful and sing for joy and sing praises.

5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,

With the lyre and the sound of melody.

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn

Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.

7 May the sea roar and all it contains,

The world and those who dwell in it.

8 May the rivers clap their hands,

May the mountains sing together for joy

Let’s soak in that ocean for awhile…and encourage ourselves in the Lord…daily.

Dennis Jernigan

To hear The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of this teaching and to hear the song Wider Than the Ocean, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/wider-than-the-ocean/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/11/08/05/08/adult-1807500_1280.jpg