Yesterday was one of those long days. You know what I mean. I had a very full weekend then to bop into a very busy day, makes Cara a tired girl. I had conversations with myself about heading out for the night to the first night of a new Bible study. Maybe I should stay home. Envisioning conversations. The whole nine yards. Here’s what I found.
A whole room of women who were tired and worn from the Monday chaos. Yet, as we went around the room, almost everyone said how much they needed community. How much they needed time spent in the word of God. We were real with our fears of being able to attend regularly and real with our need to be in the word intentionally.
It was a beautiful thing.
I’ve found that since COVID and my diagnosis/brain bleeds, etc. that I do not handle crowds and loud noise very well. It overwhelms me easily. Here’s what I know for sure. I know i need community. I know I need time with people. The crux is how to balance. I haven’t found that yet.
But I walked away from the first night with my heart buoyed and strengthened by time in the Word and time with others.
We read from the first chapter of Ruth and discussed. Asked the five w’s and h of the chapter. We ate good soup. And rather than say, here is your homework, we said, hope to see you next week.
This is how I am approaching life right now. Rather than a bunch of you shoulds and you aren’ts, I turn and take a step. I recover. I have a feeling many of you are doing the same thing.
Present day. I am looking out my window, remembering those feelings and thankful for this writing because I hurt today. My body is fighting against me. yet, there is a full day ahead of me. Rather than say to myself, tonight, I am saying the next thing. I just need to do the next thing.
I’m in Psalm 3 today. The day prayer. I’m not sure what your foe may be today. Maybe it is an onslaught of thoughts and feelings that do not follow the truth. Or, maybe it is people’s words or actions. Or, maybe your body fights against you as well. Here we go.
“O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.”
Psalms 3:1-8 NASB1995
We do not place our trust in people’s words or feelings. We do not place our trust in our circumstances. We remember and declare who is the God we serve.
- He is a shield about us
- Our glory
- The One who lifts our head (as one with headaches this is especially meaningful)
- He answers me when I cry
- I can rest because the Lord sustains
- I can stand unafraid because the Lord fights for me/you
- Rise up, Lord! Save me, o my God!
- You do the battle
- Salvation and deliverance belong to our God
- Blessing is with us!
I face this day knowing these truths and being grateful that God speaks through His word to me, to you. Amen.
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