One of those days

This has been one of those days. I'm sure you have had them. I woke up with a weary, aching body. My first bit of news was the unexpected death of a friend.  That was followed by the eminent death of a friend's mother.  That was all before I got dressed. And that is when I wrote an e-mail to my dear husband and asked if I could please die before he does.  The sweet man said he would happily grant my request if it was in his power to do so.

Then I dragged my sorry body around my exercise routine at the Y, feeling worse than I did the first time I ever worked out there. At the Y, I ran into a long-time friend whose husband has some serious health issues, and came home to find an e-mail about a newly prodigal child of dear friends, and another friend having disappointments in her cancer battle. 

It's just one of those days. And on these sorts of days, our spirits can be brought very low indeed.  But then I remembered last night's Spurgeon, and reminded myself of the truth:

“When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”

~Psalm 61:2

Most of us know what it is to be overwhelmed in heart; emptied as when a man wipeth a dish and turneth it upside down; submerged and thrown on our beam ends like a vessel mastered by the storm. Discoveries of inward corruption will do this, if the Lord permits the great deep of our depravity to become troubled and cast up mire and dirt. Disappointments and heart-breaks will do this when billow after billow rolls over us, and we are like a broken shell hurled to and fro by the surf. Blessed be God, at such seasons we are not without an all-sufficient solace, our God is the harbour of weather-beaten sails, the hospice of forlorn pilgrims. Higher than we are is he, his mercy higher than our sins, his love higher than our thoughts. It is pitiful to see men putting their trust in something lower than themselves; but our confidence is fixed upon an exceeding high and glorious Lord. A Rock he is since he changes not, and a high Rock, because the tempests which overwhelm us roll far beneath at his feet; he is not disturbed by them, but rules them at his will. If we get under the shelter of this lofty Rock we may defy the hurricane; all is calm under the lee of that towering cliff. Alas! such is the confusion in which the troubled mind is often cast, that we need piloting to this divine shelter. Hence the prayer of the text. O Lord, our God, by thy Holy Spirit, teach us the way of faith, lead us into thy rest. The wind blows us out to sea, the helm answers not to our puny hand; thou, thou alone canst steer us over the bar between yon sunken rocks, safe into the fair haven. How dependent we are upon thee—we need thee to bring us to thee. To be wisely directed and steered into safety and peace is thy gift, and thine alone. This night be pleased to deal well with thy servants. 

I am praying to be safely piloted to that Rock, Gentle Reader.  Won't you join me?