The Multiplication of Trouble  Psalms 3: 

 PROBLEMS & POSSIBILITIES 

     Our Troublers’

Their Increase   LORD, how are they increased that trouble me!

I’ve never been great at math but there is one equation that I’m very accurate with.  This is what’s called the equivalent reckoning of distraction and disorder.

According to the book on “Good Reading”: Neglect and inattentiveness, can add to our troubles, subtract from our earnings, multiply our aches and pains, take interest from our work, and discount our possibilities of safety.

Besides this, it can divide our thoughts between work and pleasure and be a potent factor in our failures. Even if it’s with us only a small fraction of the time, it can lessen our chances for success.

Negligence is a figure to be reckoned with. Cancel it from our habits and it will add to our happiness and prosperity.

The word “increased” means to be weighty, heavy and oppressively burdensome.  This is the swelling and amplification of a problem.  It’s the copious proliferation of distresses and disappointments.

The main cause of problem explosion is disrespect for personal discipline.  When we castigate self-control in our life we will suffer the consequences.

Another trigger in the sorrow of difficulty is the propagation of idols.  This follows hard on the feet of not allowing the discipleship of Christ in our life and spurning God’s leading.

Psalms 16:4 states:  Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: 

The simple definition of idolatry is the refusal to allow Jesus to be number one in our life.  When Christ is not first place in everything the deduction is simple, we’ve refused Him as Lord.  As C.S. Lewis aptly writes:  If Jesus is not Lord of all, He’s not Lord at all.

When we close the door of our heart and refuse Jesus from the throne of our lives, we open the door to sorrow and the escalation of desolation, destruction, despair and depressing despondency.

The term “hasten” is the Hebrew word for woo.  What are we wooing romantically after?  Who are we enticing and courting in our life?  What are we pursuing as the passion of love in our heart?  It’s an easy equation, calculating our craving really isn’t that difficult.  Our true love is what we meditate on and muse over constantly.  These are our enticements and god’s.

Their Insurrection     many are they that rise up against me.

Their Intensification Many there be which say of my soul,

Their Insinuation       There is no help for him in God. Selah.