Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2-3

From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

Have you ever been in a position where your "heart grows faint"? Where life just seems too hard and every step seems like it takes double the effort? Maybe you were extremely stressed about something? Maybe you were facing family problems or relationship breakdowns? Maybe someone who you were close to had just died. Most of us go through those times.

We can learn from David. When his heart grows faint, when he can't seem to see past the mountains of trouble surrounding him he calls to God. And he knows that God hears him. He knows because in the past God had been his refuge and his strong tower. He knew that wherever he was in the world, he could call to God and God would hear him.

The thing about anxiety and depression is that so often it comes from focussing on ourselves and our situation. Maybe you feel life's too hard, maybe you're realising that you can't make it on your own and that we all fall short. Maybe you're stressed, worried and frustrated about friends who are struggling. Maybe it's something else. 

Instead of focussing on himself here, David looks to God. He says: "lead me to the rock that is higher than I." He knows that he falls short. He sins, he is imperfect, he fails. I fail, you fail. We all stuff if up. That's evident in our own lives and it's shown to be true throughout the bible. That's why when we focus on ourselves we fall into depression, because there is nothing good in us, nothing in us that truly deserves saving. Yet God is merciful. He is a refuge and strong power for his people.

Our prayer should be for God to lead us to the rock that is higher than ourselves. To lead us to Jesus. He was perfect and through his death we can be perfect and forgiven for our sins entirely. If you're not a Christian then you need that savation. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

If you are a Christian then focus on Jesus. Life may not get better right away - it may not even get better at all. But through Jesus we don't have to make it to God on our own. He saves us entirely and nothing we can do can ever undo that. If you are truly a Christian then your salvation is based 100% on what Jesus did and 0% on yourself. Don't focus on the troubles of this life, focus on God, focus on Jesus and focus on heaven where we will be with him eternally. 

I read this Psalm the other night when I was feeling pretty down. Not depressed, just stressed over school and a whole range of other issues. Even so the reminder hit me square in the face - it's not about me, it's not about what I do. It's about God, it's about Jesus. I will fail - I have failed in so many ways. But Jesus is perfect and God by his grace has led me to that rock. He is my strength and my refuge, he protects us against sin and satan and our enemies. Trust in him.

Lord please lead us to Jesus and help us to realise all you have done for us more fully and know him better.