Tag Archive for: Psalm 94:19

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Psalm 94:19 — When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is close the laptop.

You can feel it when it’s time. You’re halfway through typing a response on social media when you notice your jaw a little too tight and your head is hurting.

It’s easy to get that way. Online you see this group fighting against that group. Everyone is an expert. Everybody wants to be heard, and before long, you feel the urge to jump in, take a side, and say something too.

But sometimes I see it all unfolding and think, Lord… this is not the way.

Because when I’m overwhelmed, overstimulated, or frustrated, I don’t always say the best things. I speak too quickly. I react, and that doesn’t bring life.

So, I’ve learned, as unnatural as it feels, to just close my device and go spend time with real people. At home, in a coffee shop…it doesn’t matter. I’ve realized that a real conversation is better than a comment section.

Sometimes I’ll do that. Other times, I’ll open my Bible. Better yet, I’ll do both.

There is simply something about sitting with Jesus that brings peace. His word says, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”

When your soul is shouting, wisdom sometimes sounds like stepping back instead of speaking up. It looks more like leaning in than lashing out.

If you’ve been overwhelmed lately, maybe it’s worth taking a day off the internet. Sit with someone you love. Say good things. Laugh at something simple and do something that’s actually good for your soul.

Because in the end, the noise online may not stop, but you can still choose which voices get to shape you.

And sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is close the laptop, open your Bible, and let the voice of Jesus be the loudest one in the room.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What kinds of situations tend to leave your heart feeling crowded with worry or frustration?
  • How can you tell when it’s time to step away from the noise and spend time with God?
  • What role does Scripture play in bringing peace to your mind and heart?
  • Are there voices competing for your attention that may be drowning out God’s voice?
  • What is one practical way you can make space this week for Jesus to be “the loudest voice in the room”?
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Not Alone After All

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Psalm 94:19 — When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

I should have been on cloud nine, but instead I’m falling apart inside.

On paper, life is unreal. I’m touring with Bethel Music. I’m writing with people whose songs shaped my faith. I’m standing in rooms I never dreamed I’d ever be invited into. Everything is moving so fast, and everyone keeps telling me how blessed I am. I believe them. I really do.

But that night after returning from tour, standing in my boy’s bedroom, something inside me starts to break down.

My wife Brittany is putting one of our sons to bed. I’m lying next to another, just listening to his breathing. And out of nowhere, this wave of panic and depression hits me. My thoughts spiral so fast I don’t know what to do. I don’t recognize myself. I feel like I might crash out or do something crazy just to make the feeling stop.

Pride keeps me from calling anyone. It feels too vulnerable. So, instead, I text two of my closest friends. I tell them I’m not okay. I tell them I’m scared.

They try to call me back, but I don’t answer. I’m still trying to be dad, trying to be steady, and did I mention how vulnerable talking on the phone felt?

Then my phone buzzes again. It’s a voice message.

It’s my buddy, Micah.

I can tell he’s worried. But on his message, he just prays for me. With my son curled against me, I just listen to Micah’s prayer. And something breaks inside of me in a good way. It’s enough to breathe and enough for me to finally admit I can’t carry this alone.

You see, I haven’t told anyone how this season of touring and success makes me feel when I come home. Not even my wife. So I go to Brittany and confess everything I’ve been holding in. She just holds me close in that moment.

Looking back, and after months of professional counseling, I see what was going on that led to my crash out.

On tour, I had gotten so used to the adrenaline, mountaintops, and constant motion that my body didn’t know the difference between joy and pressure. It only knew stress, and when I got home and life got back to normal, the adrenaline crashed. It hit my mind hard and dark thoughts filled the places where stress once lived. Insecurities. Questions I’d never asked before. Lies I never thought I’d believe.

Getting help changed everything. Talking to my counselor reminded me that there is a true north even when my internal compass is spinning. Through every high and low, God is my steady constant to comfort me in the deepest places.

As we see in the Psalms, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalm 94:19). And sometimes, God’s consolation sounds like a friend praying over you, or feels like arms holding you when you finally tell the truth.

That night changed how I listen to my limits. Even when life looks meaningful and full, the soul can still be overwhelmed. But God’s consolation often comes through people willing to step into the weight with us.

So maybe the bravest thing we can do is stop pretending we are fine and allow His comfort to meet us where we actually are.

— Brandon Lake

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When life looks “good” on the outside, are there places in your heart that still feel overwhelmed or heavy?
  • What keeps you from asking for help when you’re struggling—fear, pride, or the pressure to appear strong?
  • Who has God placed in your life that could be a source of His comfort if you let them in?
  • In moments of anxiety or emotional exhaustion, where do you usually turn first—for relief or for distraction?
  • What would it look like today to stop pretending you’re fine and allow God’s consolation to meet you where you truly are?
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