Hardly anyone is immune to sadness and gloom. These things are overwhelming for some. I think it was around the 18th century that deism reared its ugly head. Essentially, some taught God created the universe and us, set the laws in motion, and walked away. I am sure that negative philosophy added to the emotional burden of some who were prone to depression. Whether we are affected a little, or greatly, by sadness, we can find a blessing in the Word of God. If we read it, we will see that God is intimately concerned about and involved in His creation. The question should not be "Does God care about me?" It should be, "Do I care about God?"

The Bible clearly shows God is everywhere. We are the ones who need to stop, and take notice.

In Psalm 33, verse 18 we read, "Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, ..." This fear, of course, is reverence. It is a wonderful thing when any human being humbles themselves and acknowledges the presence of God, and their need of Him.

That sentence in its entirety reads, "Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine."

The main death that we should be concerned about is the one that is eternal, the one that damns. Also, death, by the way, does not mean ceasing to exist. Nonetheless, when plagued by doom and gloom it is good for us to look to the tender mercies of our Good Shepherd. I know from personal experience that is very difficult to do, especially when we are facing all sorts of troubles.

However, the psalmist, by the Holy Spirit, continues by presenting the attitudes we should really have.

Verse 20 reads, "Our soul waiteth for the LORD; He is our help and our shield." Waiting requires patience, sometimes lots of it. However, if we know Christ in a personal way, that waiting shapes our character to be conformed to His precious image.

When doom and gloom hit, we have a natural tendency to look for relief around us -- friends, relatives, money, and more. However, the help we really need is spiritual. We need to be made more like Christ. And, if we do not have Christ, that need for help is that we should truly make Him our Lord, our Master.

Finally, in that verse we see that God can be our shield, protecting us from the onslaughts of satan.

Do not let sadness and gloom pester you. Get close to God, trust Him, and rejoice in Him.