David encouraged himself in the Lord. This is where it starts. This is what we must do to get back all that’s been ripped off by the enemy. David couldn’t depend on his men. They were angry with him. There was no one to pat him on the back and say, “It’ll be okay.” There was no one to wipe away his tears. But that’s the way it usually is. Don’t wait for a pastor to come, a friend to show up, a neighbor to drop by when you’re depressed. If you do, you might have a long wait. David knew what he had to do. Everything looked grim. But he chose to encourage himself in the Lord.

How?

We see the answer in Psalm 42 . . .

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Psalm 42:5

I can be depressed, discouraged, despairing continually, or I can say, “Why are you this way, soul? Hope in God. Give praise to Him. Offer thanks to Him.”

When I receive news that my city has been burned down, the first thing I must do is encourage myself in the Lord by thanking Him for the ways He has been so faithful time and time again. I reflect and remember - and begin to talk to the Lord audibly, giving Him thanks for what He has done.

Little Tommy didn’t understand this. When his mommy said, “You’re going to have a baby brother or a baby sister,” he was so thrilled that he told his kindergarten teacher. He told her again the next day. In fact, every day without fail he told her that he was going to have a baby brother or a baby sister.

One day, his mother said, “Tommy, come here.” As she placed his hand on her stomach, she said, “Feel that? That’s your baby brother or sister kicking!”

Tommy smiled faintly and walked away.

The next day when he went to school he didn’t tell his teacher he was going to have a baby brother or a baby sister. He didn’t bring it up the second, third, or fifth day, either. Finally, after a couple of weeks, his teacher said, “Tommy, you haven’t talked about the baby that’s coming.”

Tommy burst into tears. “The baby’s not coming,” he cried. “My mommy ate it!”

Like Tommy, we don’t understand things very well. Oh, this is awful, we think - failing to realize that God is up to something wonderful.