Proverbs 18:14
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The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
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A wounded spirit is much more painful than a wounded body, as the spirit is more vital to our existence than the body. If you allow any difficulty or sorrow to gain the victory over your spirit, the crushing pain can be intolerable. Fools will seek the comfort of death!
Ruled and directed by wisdom, your spirit can help you survive any difficulty. Allowed to rule you when wounded, it is unbearable to you and others. Ruled and directed by the Spirit of God, you can be cheerful in any adversity. Allowed to run free, it can and will drive even sober and wise men to suicide. Are you ruling your spirit today?
Natural men have done incredible things under horrible stress, pain, danger, and difficulty by a strong and courageous spirit. Their exploits are wonderful to read, but a Christian can do better! For the knowledge of present reality and future expectations, and the sustaining help of the Spirit of Christ, are things the wicked know nothing about.
Ruling your spirit is the best evidence of Christian maturity. Fighting heretics or troubles on the outside is easy. Ruling a melancholy spirit on the inside is much more difficult. Growing in grace and bearing the Spirit's fruit will result in the wise rule of your spirit.
Will a godly and great man please stand up! Will a virtuous woman please stand up!
Nothing you do in life is as important as ruling your spirit. If you let it rule, you are a loser (25:28). If you rule it, you are greater than a man who takes a city himself (16:32).
When Job ruled his spirit, he blessed the Lord, though his life was falling to pieces (Job 1:20-22). When Job let his spirit run wild with thoughts about his reversal of fortune, he cursed the day he was born and wished he were dead (Job 3:1-26). And he went downhill from there, until both Elihu and God blasted him for self-justification (Job 32:2; 38:1-3).
What did Job do wrong? What happened between 1:20-22 and 3:1? He thought too much! Negative self-reflection is ungodly and unproductive. Self-examination is good, but self-reflection leading to self-pity, anger, and depression is destructive. Job should have fasted and prayed and asked his friends to join him (Jas 5:13). Instead, he let melancholy reflection take him straight to folly (Job 2:11-13).
When David faced his greatest crisis in running for his life from Saul, when his own friends wanted to stone him, he "encouraged himself in the Lord his God" (I Sam 30:6). And his true friend, Jonathan, strengthened his hand in God (I Sam 23:16). Here was a true friend, in great contrast to Job's three miserable comforters.
A man ruling his spirit in the fear and joy of the Lord has a continual feast, regardless of circumstances; but a man allowing his spirit to be afflicted can find evil in every day (15:15)! Ruling your spirit with joy brings a cheerful disposition, but unchecked sorrow breaks the spirit (15:13). What a horrible choice! A merry heart heals the soul, but a broken spirit will dry up your life. See the comments on 17:22.
It is possible to dance in economic collapse (Hab 3:17-19)! Peter and John rejoiced to be beaten by the Jews (Acts 5:40-43); Stephen prayed for his murderers (Ac 7:60); Paul and Silas sang in a dungeon (Ac 16:25); Paul had a picnic in a storm at sea (Ac 27:33-36).
The martyrs of God, from Abel to current persecutions in Muslim nations, have suffered the most horrendous tortures with cheerful, overcoming spirits by keeping their hearts focused on Jesus Christ by His Spirit. The world is not worthy of these great spirits.
But King Ahab pouted in bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat, because he couldn't have Naboth's vineyard (I Kgs 21:4). Spoiled child! Let no Christian man act like this toward wife or family, for you mark yourself a very wicked man (I Kgs 21:25).
Even Elijah was subject to depression after his great victory over the prophets of Baal, when he wished for death (I Kgs 19:4). We learn his passions were normal (Jas 5:17); yet being cast down and destroyed are two very different things (II Cor 4:8-11). A ruled spirit might be discouraged, but it will not turn to sinful melancholy excesses of self-pity.
The early days of World War II cost the British enormous losses of ships and crews by German U-boats. Seeking to save lives in the horrific events at sea, they discovered that older, more experienced men had a higher survival rate than younger, more physically fit sailors. More years of life's hardships fortified the spirits of the older men and gave them an advantage over the younger men in survival situations. The head of this research, Kurt Hahn, applied this knowledge in forming the Outward Bound training program, which increases a person's fortitude by controlled, progressively more difficult challenges.
This principle of building the spirit was revealed much earlier than 1941, for the Lord builds our faith and patience (enduring of difficulties) the same way. He carefully prepares afflictions and trials to increase our spirit's strength (Jas 1:2-4; Rom 5:3-5). You will not face any temptations today you cannot escape and defeat (I Cor 10:13).
Paul could face great adversity and personal infirmities by the knowledge that Christ's grace would sustain him (II Cor 12:7-10). And cannot we do the same, knowing that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28)? We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us (Rom 8:35-37)! The Lord is able to heal our broken hearts and bind up our wounds (Ps 147:3).
Sin will destroy a right spirit, but confession can restore it (Ps 51:10). David groaned under the Lord's heavy hand of chastening (Ps 32:1-5; 38:1-11; 39:11; 51:8). But confession and repentance bring refreshment, favor, and joy (Job 33:19-30).
Sin not confessed can bring hell this side of eternity that cannot be told. Cain's pain was "greater than he could bear" (Gen 4:13). Saul's black despair drove him to consult a witch in his great grief (I Sam 28:15). Ahithophel and Judas chose strangling as the cure for their pain (II Sam 17:23; Matt 27:3-5). They tasted only a drop of hell, but the excruciating torture of that punishment was far too much. How much more the full dose for eternity!
Dear reader, do you rule your spirit? Or do your spouse and family know the little setbacks of life put you in an irritable mood or silent depression, when you snap at others or ignore them in your selfish withdrawal? What folly! What childishness! Grow up, today! Your spirit is a pain to have around, and it is a sin! Rule your spirit today! They and you will benefit.
Saints may experience heaviness through many afflictions and manifold temptations (Ps 34:19; I Pet 1:6), but the Lord will deliver out of them all. Joy will come in the morning.
Our Lord faced greater darkness, adversity, and agony in Gethsemane than our little minds can picture; yet with sweat like blood dropping from His brow, He found comfort and strength in doing His Father's will (Luke 22:41-44; Mark 13:43-44). He looked ahead to the joy before Him, and He endured the calamities (Ps 16:8-11; Heb 12:1-4).
Will you crumble today from slow traffic? Too many projects at home? A disappointing career? A bad hair day? A frustrating day at the office? A few pounds overweight? A disappointing spouse or child? A fiery dart from hell that you are a loser? Let the shame of these questions drive you to joy and strength in the Lord, for the thought of such insignificant things wounding the brothers of Christ is disgusting and ridiculous!
If you have a melancholy spirit bent to inward thinking, take precautions. Stop thinking, and go do what you should be doing, now! Get outside yourself. Blocking out others is foolish: you need them. Use your spouse, family, and brethren for counsel and comfort. Go to the Lord in prayer and find His peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:6-7).
Keep your heart with all diligence. Rejoice, and again I say, rejoice. Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.
Cross-references:
Proverbs 20:27
Your spirit is a two-edged sword! It can cut away life's troubles and leave you happy on top of the world. Or it can bleed your soul to where your pain cannot be described.
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