Stuart Smalley's Life Verse

Lately I have struggled some with depression, and could not seem to get beyond these feelings. So, today, God graciously used my sense of humor to help bring things back into perspective. I don't know how many remember AL Franken's character of  "Stuart Smalley" on Saturday Night Live, but he is famous for his Daily Affirmation. Here is a small sample:

Well, this morning I was running late and just could not get it together. I was really beating myself up emotionally by the time I arrived at the warehouse I have been volunteering at lately. But, coffee had been made, a post & messages from a couple of FB friends had encouraged me, and I had found a Bible among some other books that had been donated to tornado victims. In other words, the day was beginning to hold promise. I opened up the Bible and was about to turn to Jeremiah to study for next Sunday's lesson. (Btw, being depressed is not always the best time to study Jeremiah...also known as "The Weeping Prophet"! LOL)

As I glanced down to turn the page to where I needed to go, my eye was drawn to a verse that did literally make me Laugh Out Loud. Psalm 45:2 in the Contemporary English Version says: "No one is as handsome as you! Your words are always kind. That is why God will always bless you."  My first thought was, "Oh my goodness! If Stuart Smalley had just been saved this would be his life verse!" I could just picture him peering intently into the mirror quoting that verse. God knew I desperately needed something to make me laugh, and provided what I needed.

This was also used to remind me that while my thoughts about myself have been  completely opposite of Stuart's affirmation of himself, both are exaggerations. Even more importantly, I have a God who knows exactly what I need. He may allow me to wallow in self-pity for a while, but He won't let me stay there. While I am not an advocate of the 'randomly opening the Bible' method of inspiration, I did have one another moment later in the afternoon: I had been praying in my spare moments today for a friend's urgent request, as well as my recent attitude toward myself. I had to go make a copy of something, and when I returned the fan near me had caused the Bible pages to flip over from where I had been reading earlier to a verse my friend & I had claimed over this particular project months ago (and is also perfect for some stuff I am currently going through): Ephesians 3:20 ~ "Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—" God is good...and just knowing He loves me is all I need! :)