Corona Devo 446

Ever had to "psych" yourself up for a perceived-difficult situation?

Your mind has done the mental-math and all of the solutions end in disaster.

That's the problem with mental-math, it almost always proves incorrect.  Because it is our anxieties talking, our worries working, and our unknowns taking command when they have no authority to do so. 

That was me.  That was my racing mind and my bothered heart.  

God knows us.  He knows what we're worried about.  He knows the bullies in our minds and He is our rock of safety.

If you have been there or your mind is going there today, God has a prayer for us.  A Psalm, actually.

Psalm 71

1 O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced.

2 Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right.  Turn your ear to listen to me, and set me free.

3 Be my rock of safety where I can always hide.  Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors. ~Psalm 71:1-4

God's got us. He has whatever situation or person we are facing today (or that we are worried /anxious about/dreading facing today) and if we lay it before Him with the right attitude (Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right. ~Psalm 71:2) then we can stop worrying because He goes before us.

We know this, right? Time after time in our lives God proves His presence, protection and sovereignty over us. And yet, time after time, we get caught up in our own mind/thoughts/what-if's and we lapse back into thinking that we are "going it alone".

But if we will review, our track record with God goes wayyyyy back. In our childhood and even in my mother's womb God was there and we can trust Him to always be (even when our mind is spinning up scenarios). We can praise Him when we refocus on our history with Him and the outcomes He has always been faithful to provide.

5 O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.

6 Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me.  No wonder I am always praising you!

7 My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection.

8 That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long. ~Psalm 71:5-8

Why do we wander? Why do we allow our minds to wonder? If a rat can be trained to continually repeat an action, why can't we be "trained" to trust You, Lord, even though we see Your hand again and again in our situations and over our lives?

I used to marvel at how it took the Israelites 40 years of "wandering" in order to get to the Promised Land. But then I realized that we are just like them. Every 50 steps they forgot the miracle that God had performed 50 steps earlier. They were constantly whining and grumbling even though for forty years...(their) clothes and sandals did not wear out. ~Deuteronomy 29:5). 

How old are we today?  For that many years, God has not allowed our necessities to wear out.  We've trusted Him from childhood and if we were to count the provisions, number the safe-passages, and list the ways He has stood taller than our towers of doubt then we would convince ourselves all over again.

God always prevails. It is us and our worries/what-if's/and mental-math that fail Him.

But it's a new day and a fresh start, and we can celebrate the victory God gave us 50 steps ago and trust Him for mental and physical provision with each of our steps today.

I will keep on.

14 But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.

15  I will tell everyone about your righteousness.  All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words.

16 I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord.  I will tell everyone that you alone are just.

17 O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.

18  Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God.  Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

19  Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.  You have done such wonderful things.  Who can compare with you, O God?

20  You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

23  I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have ransomed me.

24  I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.  ~Psalm 71:14-20, 23-24

Our battles are Yours, Lord, and throughout our timeline-of-life you have established marker after marker of victories that we have claimed because of our claim to You.

If today we are starting to "psych" ourselves up for a perceived-difficult situation, and our mind has done the mental-math leading only to solutions ending in disaster, then it is time to review our track record with God and count His trophies.

I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long (Psalm 71:24). I will tell about them to others, and I will tell about them to myself.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com