Is it not a mistery of life, that we all look for happiness in one way or the other? We love to have the good feelings of a movie with a happy end. We love to hear the stories that are always just positive. And we are not able to understand the bad things that happen to us. We are tempted to blame God for it. Where is God in the problems of life? The unbelievers will mock anyways... "why does your God not help you!"

David knows a little about it when he shares in Psalm 42,

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-- from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (NIV)

In the middle of distress he still held on to his God. I just had a phase of being downcast and it really felt like deep calls to deep... so deep that I could drown in it... but the Lord said something interesting to me when I came to him with it all... here is some of what he said:

"My son, I love you. Did I not tell you that in the world you are afraid, but I have overcome the world? Did I not tell you that in the world you have tribulation. Not only from people but also from sickness and disease... the pressures of the world system... This is not from me and yet so many are sick. So many have no victory and so many are wounded.

Yet I want to build up and not tear down. I want to heal and will never send sickness. I want to bind the broken hearts and I want to equip. So just look up to me and know that I am in control. You might not understand. You might suffer and feel downcast. But if you hold on you will receive the promise, for my word is true!"

There are not only mountain experiences in our lives. Often it is in the valleys that we find strength and the love of God directs us by day and His song is with us during the night! Today, when you are downcast, I want you to know that God loves you! I want to encourage you to put your hope in Him for you will yet praise Him!