God is the Source
How does God help you? Do you give Him credit for that?
Verse of the Day
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
Today’s Devotional
There is a natural progression to this verse that I missed before now. When God is my strength and my shield, then my heart trusts. Why? Because he helped me with His strength and protection. As this process continues, it should lead me to joy and praise.
That all sounds really great, but how do I do that? Let’s just start at the beginning.
God is my strength and my shield. When are we going to realize the full truth behind that reality? I don’t have the strength on my own to make my body breathe, or pump blood through my veins. How in the world do I so easily forget that every ounce of strength I have to accomplish anything in this world comes directly from God? So maybe some of my ability to trust comes from simply acknowledging God as the source. The source of all good things, all power, all life. I discover these things in times of solitude with God.
If my heart trusts because He helps me, maybe my trust grows as I recognize how much God helps me. That requires some humility on my part to give God credit for things. I probably give myself too much credit for my participation in the things God is doing in me and through me. It’s the equivalent of a lamp taking credit for how bright it shines, instead of acknowledging the fact that its “shine” only happens because it is plugged into the power. My life and anything I do is only possible because I am plugged into the Power.
I had an emotionally distressing week. I needed God’s help in some specific ways, so I asked. I had to practice my trust in a loving, caring God. God answered, but not in the way I was hoping for. Instead of giving me any resolution to my specific problems, He sent me several very poignant reminders of His love and encouragement. Which reminds me to trust in His timing. Even when God’s help does not look the way I asked for, I recognize the kindness of His love and encouragement. It’s like He is giving me bread crumbs to follow Him into trust. That kind of care, which I need because I am so very human, really does lead me to praise.
As I wrote in my journal about the ways God showed up to love and encourage me, it reminds my heart again that He is worthy of my trust. That He is the source of my strength. That He is who I need to look to for encouragement. That He does not get mad at me when I am impatient. Instead, He lovingly reminds me to trust. Which makes me need to bow before Him in awe and wonder and praise. And it makes me want to be certain that I am always plugged into the Power.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How can you acknowledge God as the source of your strength and protection today?
How has God helped you in the past?
How does that increase your trust in Him with whatever you are dealing with today?
How does God’s provision of strength and protection from the past lead you to praise today?
How can you plug into God’s Power today?
How does solitude help you to see the power of God?