Heartache Or Headache

by R. Darke, Victoria, B C, Canada | Category: General | May 1989

The one sometimes leads to the other, but before reaching for the aspirin why not reach for that precious verse in the loveliest of psalms. Perhaps sheep do not get headaches or heartaches, but they surely get something which needs oil to anoint and water to refresh.

"Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over" (Ps. 23:5). That is what the experienced shepherd, David, tells us about sheep and himself. They get cuts and scratches, bumps and bites; all enough to give them a headache! And the caring, loving shepherd applies his soothing ointment, the anointing oil. Then comes the drink of cool, refreshing water; a gentle stroking, patting, a quiet endearing word, and the sheep enters the fold for a needed rest.

Fellow Christian, you can fit yourself spiritually into that picture, can you not? All the stress and strain, hits and knocks, anxiety and disappointment, sorrow and discouragement, that life holds today, sometimes contribute to a large sized headache or heartache. That is when the Lord, our Shepherd, needs to deal with us in a personal way. Have you noticed the I, my, me, He, Thou, in Psalm 23? What a group of personal pronouns within six verses!

To be helped adequately we must make our hurt, pain, burden, a personal thing with Him. He is the best One to care for the problems of the head, the mind, the heart. As the abrasions of the sheep are all visible to the concerned shepherd, so in our personal relationship with the Lord, "Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:13 NIV).

In our communion with the Lord we can be reassured by these words of His: "the shepherd ... calleth his own sheep by name ... I am the Good Shepherd; and I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me... My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:2,3,14,27). So we must never regard Him as One who is remote, impersonal, approachable only at certain times, or too busy to be concerned with insignificant problems. It is only after we have unburdened ourselves to Him; allowed Him to put away the things which distress and depress, that we can be renewed in spirit and in mind (Eph. 4:23). Incidentally, the word renewed is linked with renovation, and to freshen up. If you think of your mind as being a room that has become cluttered and colourless, then it is time to clear out everything and renovate, brighten up, freshen up, the mind, and also the heart and the life. Out must go all the things that hinder spiritually; the negative thoughts of irritability, impatience, intolerance; perhaps envy or jealousy. It is only then that we can enjoy the experience of having "this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5).

After renovation comes furnishing, for having His mind means installing the renovated life "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self control" (Gal. 5:22 NIV). These are all of the Spirit, and the anointing oil for the sheep has its counterpart in the Spirit's blessing in our lives. The overrunning cup of joy, the loving touch of His hand, and the quiet resting-place found in Him, are all valued improvements which can replace the feeling of trying to cope, or managing to get by, or even reaching for the aspirin-plus! For the headache or heartache the oil, the water, the touch, and the rest, are unquestionably the best treatment.

R. Darke, Victoria, B C, Canada | May 1989
General