Look on the right hand [the point of attack] and see; for there is no man who knows me [to appear for me]. Refuge has failed me and I have no way to flee; no man cares for my life or my welfare. – Psalm 142:4, Amplified Bible (AMP)

During the years that he was being chased by Saul, David lived through many days of despair. David’s faith in The Lord was strong, but even his spirit failed within him when he considered the weight of being constantly hunted by his king and his father-in-law. At times David felt just the way he described in Psalm 142:4: alone, abandoned, and unloved.

No matter how strong your faith is, there will be days when you will feel the same. Life’s troublesome circumstances will put their boots on your neck, and when you try to get up off of your face, they will lean into you with more force. At such times, there is only one solution to the despair, and it is the same solution David clung to during his days of running from Saul: he encouraged himself in The Lord. In the Lord’s promises, we find hope. In the stories of those He has succored, we find strength. In the reminders that He directs our paths and that He will use each circumstance to make us more like Himself, we find peace. All of these encouragements and more are found in God’s Word, which is why it is so important that we build every day on a foundation of biblical reading, meditation, and prayer.

Is life tough for you today? If it is, I wish that it weren’t. But if it is, don’t try to encourage yourself with man-made solutions. Follow David’s example instead and encourage yourself in The Lord. You’ll find God’s encouragement much more effective than anything mankind can muster.