Psalm 77 – Remembering God

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, is a modern method used in psychology to treat things like anxiety and depression. As with any school of psychology, there is a lot of truth in it. Anytime, anyone studies God’s world, they will inevitably see true things about it. It is true because God made it to be so; all truth is God’s truth. Yet also with the various schools of psychology, because they are not working within the framework of the Biblical worldview they will get many things wrong. In fact any truth embedded in a false worldview becomes an untruth. CBT explores the relationship between what we think, how we feel, and how we act. It understands the fact that thinking right can make us feel good and act constructively; and how good behavioral patterns can impact good feeling and thinking. These three aspects are interrelated. From a pastoral point of view I have seen some of the value in these things, but when presented in a godless worldview, when we are merely reducing these truths to techniques that are not done in the context of glorifying God, or in light of the reality of our sinfulness or our fallen world, and with no dependence upon the Spirit, it can become a deceptive counterfeit that draws people from God not to Him. because from a theological perspective self-improvement is a contradiction in terms, we can only be improved by God. What is so wonderful about the psalms is that an exploration of the mind and emotions and actions of a human being are put on display. They predate our schools of psychology and anticipate the various techniques that people come up with today, but in the right worldview. And instead of a cold and abstract technique of pushing buttons to get right feelings and actions, the truth of God and His word pushes our buttons. One of the great vulnerabilities that we have, because it is a strength God has made us with, is our ability to be swayed emotionally by what we think. However, being sinners we have an infinite capacity for self-deception. There are going to be many people in the world applying techniques to their thoughts, emotions and actions, and getting what many consider self-improvement because they experience more peace, less depression and anxiety, but unless this peace is the peace of God, unless their anxiety is alleviated because the truths of God and His faithfulness alleviate those emotions, all they are doing is self- deception. Today we are looking at someone who is depressed and anxious applying the truth of God to His heart so that he is turned from His depression and anxiety to worship and trust.