What to do When You Hit the Wall

(Psalm 77:1-20)

 In this sermon we will use this Psalm of Asaph to look at what we can do when we hit a wall. Most of our lives are built on the future in some way. There is always something that we seem to be working toward or waiting on. Many times, this involves a loved one such as a spouse. What happens when they are suddenly taken away, or we lose our health, or lose our job? There are many different ways to hit a wall but in life there is no going backward so we must learn to deal with the wall or wait for God to get us past it.

Asaph’s Wall:

 Now I do not know exactly why Asaph is in the position that he is in but whatever it is during the first part of the Psalm he is in a bad place. Note some things he said about where he was.

• He could not be comforted (verse 2)
• His spirit was overwhelmed (verse 3)
• He could not sleep (verse 4)
• There were no words for his sorrow (verse 4)
• He was doing some soul searching but it seemed to no avail (verse 6)
• He was questioning truths that he knew to be true regarding God (verses 7-9)

If you have not been in this position before, most likely at some point in your life you will.

What can we do when we hit the wall?

 1)  Accept the position (verse 10)

• Note that Asaph says “this is my infirmity, but I will remember”. He accepts the position where he is but then still thinks in a future tense.
• Jesus and Paul are good examples regarding this same thing (Hebrews 12:1-4 ; 2 Cor. 12:7-10)

2)  Remember the years of God (verse 10)

• This is why God must be real at to you at some point in your life. Many children are raised in church and saved but they live on the experiences of their parents or others. Then when they hit a wall, they have nothing to remember or relate to as Asaph did in the passage.
• You can not live in the past, but you can live on what God has done for you in the past for a while to you can get past the wall.

3)  Remember the works and wonders of that God has done (verse 11)

• Joseph in Egypt is a good example (Genesis 50:20)
• Ruth and Esther are great examples of the unseen hand of God as well but what we need to dwell on is the unseen hand of God in our own past, that he why he must be real to you in your own life.

4)  Tell your story of teach others (verse 12)

• This is how God stays real and fresh in your mind. Every time Paul went before someone, he would tell the story of what Jesus had done for him.
• Put yourself into others when you seem to have no future for yourselves (Philippians 1:23-25)

5)  Stay with God (verse 13)

• Whatever you do not jump ship as many do when they hit a wall, as Asaph said the way is in the Sanctuary.
• Anna is a great example (Luke 2:36-38)

We said at the beginning that so many things in our lives are future based, what he must realize is that the only real future we can count on is with Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13)