The heavy hearted

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

My heart is heavy.  I feel a sadness that can't quite be shaken.  It could be because Mother's Day is Sunday.  It could be because of all the deaths that have occurred in the past few weeks.  It could be because it is the end of the semester and things are hectic. It could be because some of my dearest co-workers are retiring.  

But it could be because God wants more of my attention.  It could be His way of saying to me that I'm letting the worries of the world replace the joy of Heaven.

The first part of Psalm 34:18 popped in my mind this morning.  But when I read it, it was the second part that really got me to thinking.  Contrite is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming.   Ok, I'm fine with that.  At least the feeling sorrow part.  Oh, the next though.  The remorse for a sin or a shortcoming part.  Who wants to admit those?  Do I sin?  EVERY DAY!  Do I have shortcomings? Have you met me????!!!  To think of those things though are not happy thoughts.  

If you read the entire Psalm you will see that David begins by saying he will "bless the Lord at all times" and later on reminds us to "taste and see that the Lord is good."  That is what I think is the reminder that I needed.  The Lord IS good.  Even when I don't understand, even when my heart is heavy, even when life feels overwhelming I can still bless the Lord and I can still know that He is good.  

So I am taking time to discuss those sins and shortcomings with the Lord to ask Him for forgiveness, guidance and strength.  I know that He can take the heaviness away.  I know that only He can save our souls.  I also will strive to walk closer to Him, to spend more time talking and listening to Him, to spend more time in His Word.  

Micah 7:7 

 Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.