What Sustains You?
I have not had the best start to 2023. I’ve felt overwhelmed with getting things checked off my list, sad from the death of a friend, busy with new experiences as my children grow and mature, and thinking of all the things I would like to change in the new year. I have not felt a sense of renewal and fresh start, I’ve felt more pressure and exhaustion.
I’ve been slowly pondering on the Psalms and there are new words that God is pointing out to me. This week He is blessing me with the word sustain. I look for so many ways to sustain myself. Will my morning coffee do the trick? No, I’m a decaf only girl. Will my exercise energize me and give me the boost I need? It may for a little while but then that energy wears off. Maybe I should go to bed earlier and get more rest. That will help but will it restore my soul? I need restoration and sustainment in my mind and in my heart.
The word sustain means to support, hold, or bear up from below. When something is sustained, it is free from bearing the weight. Something else carries the load of the weight. There is nothing in our world that can sustain us the way Jesus can. In Psalm 3, David is pouring his heart out to God because he is scared for his life. His son, Absalom, is seeking David to kill him. Absalom wants David’s throne and will do anything to get it. David is desperate for God’s protection. He is weary, discouraged, and close to defeat, but God is his shield, protector, and sustainer. David will not fear when he knows God is on his side.
How do you feel defeated today? What is weighing you down? We allow so much to weigh us down. Things that are out of our control, things we cannot change, or even things we can change but are not willing to. That is usually when we need a heart change. We need something to bear the load for us so we can focus on the true reason of our discontentment. God can and will sustain us. He will hold us up with His mighty hands. He will be our support system.
David was able to lie down and sleep knowing that God was protecting him. He rested. Think about that, he was able to lie down, sleep, and wake again all while knowing that someone was hunting him. He was only able to do this because God was sustaining him. Even in the midst of what feels like turmoil, Jesus brings us rest. He brings us renewal in ways we never would have imagined. His ways may seem unorthodox to us, but they are perfect. I expected to see my renewal in a less chaotic schedule, organized house, and stress-free days. But maybe God has my renewal in trusting in Him. Maybe God wants me to rest in the truth that He alone is my sustainer and my shield. The world does not bring me peace, only He does.
Digging Deeper:
Read Psalm 3
How do you feel about your start to 2023?
If you are discouraged with how it is going, how can you trust what God is doing in this new year?
Where in your life do you need God to sustain you?