Review:
Mastermind: Week 3 of 5: Justlike physical wellness, everyone has mental wellness to manage. The following are essential
for mental wellness:

• Week 1: Relationships
• Week 2: Rest
• Week 3: Remembering

How is it with your soul?

• “When peace like a river attendeth my way // When sorrows like sea billows roll // Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say // It is well, it is well with my soul” – It Is Well

David: An Godly Example of Whatto do When Greatly Distressed
(1 Samuel 30: 1-6 ESV) Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

The Biblical Strategy Out of Discouragement and Despair (Psalm 77)
The State of the Psalmist’s soul
7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

• Be encouraged… this is a Holy Spirit inspired Psalm
• You are not alone in your sleepless nights – see Psalm 77: 2-4 and Psalm 56:8
• Always positionally victorious… we are not always experientially victorious
• Asaph asked his questions 1) to the Lord and 2) with an intent to hear an answer

The End State of the Psalmist’s soul
13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph […]
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

• Psalmist ends with awe of God’s holiness and greatness.
• Psalmist ends believing that God still does miracles and works with power
• Psalmist ends with an eye on God’s ability to redeem
• Psalmist ends with a trust in God as the good shepherd

The Strategy
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

• Strategy #1: Remember
  • Remember 1) His deeds and 2) His miracles
• Strategy #2: Consider and Meditate
  Back to David: Strengthened Himself in the Lord his God

What did that look like?

• Psalm 23
  • Remembering God’s identity and preaching it to yourself
    • Here: a good shepherd
  • Remembering promises and preaching it to yourself
    • Here: “For you are with me”
    • Here: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
• Psalm 139
  • Remembering your identity and preaching it yourself
    • Here: “I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
    • Here: “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
• Psalm 103
  • Preach to your soul to “forget not”
  • “Forget not all of his benefits”
  • Drag back your memories

Then what?
(1 Samuel 30: 7-9 ESV) And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him,

• • Numb vs. inviting God into the moment
    • Pray and listen
  • Take action: Make a courageous move based on God’s wisdom

(James 1: 5-7 ESV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Remembering

• Remembering #1: Share your testimony
  • This is who I was. This is what God has done for me and in me. So now I do this.
    • Share with your kids.
    • (Judges 2:10 ESV) “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”
• Remembering #2: Practice preaching the gospel to yourself daily
• Remembering #3: Practice gratitude and thinking about things that are good and pure (Phil 4:6-8)
• Remembering #4: Develop a relationship with a wise and godly counselor who can help you remember
• Remembering #5: Communion

For Small Group Discussion:
Read/Tell the Story: Psalm 42
Supporting Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:4-5, Ephesians 1:13-14, Matthew 6:25-27
Questions:
1) How does the Psalmist respond to his soul feeling downcast?
2) How would you describe the Psalmist’s communication with God? How do you think God feels about these types of
prayers?
3) Do you relate to the Psalmist’s “thirst” for God, or have you in the past?
4) Have you had a season of your life when you dealt with depression or anxiety? How did you deal with that?
5) The Psalmist combats despair twice with the phrase “remember”. What is a core memory of God’s faithfulness in
your life (or in the lives of others; ie. from scripture) that you can bring to mind when needed?
6) When is it difficult for you to remember God’s promises and focus on His plan for your life?
7) What is something you could praise God for daily this week?
8) The Psalmist closes by putting his hope in God despite the circumstances. In what area do you currently need to place your hope in God?
Tips and Resources: One Minute Pause APP, Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel