But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. ~Psalm 3:3 (AMPCE)
When we find ourselves feeling down it can sometimes appear like everything around us is starting to fall apart. We get lost in our emotions so to speak and they begin to rule and reign in our lives. Then, almost as if out of nowhere we begin to lose our strength and vitality. Our head and hands and heart begin to droop. Even our eyes and our voices are lowered. We get downcast like this when we look at our circumstances more than we look to the God who is sovereign over those circumstances. When we get tempted to give up clinging to the attitude that things will never change or that there is nothing we can do about a particular situation, we need to lift up our eyes and look to God for help. He promises to be the lifter of our head, but we have to submit and give Him that control. We have to let God show us a better way to look at things in His word. His word is our green pastures, it’s the still waters that will ease our minds and calms our souls. The Lord wants to do that, but we have a choice as to whether we will let Him by what we choose to do with our time and what we focus our energy and efforts on believing. The Lord wants to put a spring back in our step! When we lose our way, when circumstances we encounter in life cause us to become bitter instead of better, the Lord is right there ready to pick us up. Did you know that bitterness is really just resentfulness that refuses to be reconciled to the Lord and His way of doing things? What would our lives look like if we became completely unoffendable? Laying down what we perceived as our rights to be angry and vengeful and submitting them to God while we walk in love and humility? That’s a big pill to swallow but absolutely worth the endeavor considering the promised outcome in God’s word!
God doesn’t want us to live in any negative environment. He wants us to be joyful and know that we are loved and cherished! Jesus came to reconcile us to a right relationship with God and if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior then there is no reason why you should not believe you can walk straight into God’s throne room as His dearly loved child. Life brings discouraging situations, but we don't have to let them get us down. Despite distressing circumstances, we can be confident in the Lord. He is and always will be the lifter of our head. In Nehemiah 8:10 we are told “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drink, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (NIV) Now doesn’t that sound like God wants you to enjoy your day? It doesn’t say go and enjoy unless your family members aren’t living like you think they should. It doesn’t say go and enjoy unless you don’t have everything you think you need. It doesn’t say go and enjoy but if you don’t feel like it that’s okay. It says go and enjoy…this day is holy to our Lord…do not grieve! If you want more strength to lift your eyes and hands and head and heart, then you are going to have to get your mind off your problems and onto the lifter of your head. Make up your mind that you are going to do your best to enjoy this holy day and trust God with the rest!
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ~Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
How do you plan to enjoy this day the Lord has given you?
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