I have been deep into “word study” in the Bible the past few
days. I’ve heard the term “word study” while
growing up, I heard it used primarily in Black Churches; when I use the term “word
study” I mean I reflect on things I’ve
heard quoted or cited in a particular reading
from a passage.
Today’s reading Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he
will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
“Sunlight glittered on
the swimming pool in front of me. I overheard an instructor speaking to a
student who had been in the water for quite a while. He said, “It looks like
you’re getting tired. When you’re exhausted and in deep water, try the survival
float.”
Certain situations in
life require us to spend our mental, physical, or emotional energy in a way
that we can’t sustain. David described a time when his enemies were threatening
him and he felt the emotional weight of their anger. He needed to escape the
distress he was experiencing.
As he processed his
feelings, he found a way to rest in his troubled thoughts. He said, “Cast your
cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” (Ps. 55:22). He recognized that God
supports us if we dare to release our problems to Him. We don’t have to take
charge of every situation and try to craft the outcome—that’s exhausting! God
is in control of every aspect of our life.
Instead of trying to
do everything in our own effort, we can find rest in God. Sometimes it’s as
simple as asking Him to handle our problems. Then we can pause, relax, and
enjoy the knowledge that He is sustaining us.”
Our Daily Bread – 9.17.16
This has been an epic week for me…most of the week I was
confused. I was trying to make sense of something that wasn’t mine to process
but it impacted me. Yesterday, Friday I was frustrated by a series of events
that seemed trivial but irritated me to no end 1) a torn hamstring, 2 poor
customer service and 3) I went to a specialty store to get something that was
allegedly in stock and it wasn’t . Sounds trivial right? What I figured out is
that issues number 2 and 3 fed into the hurt and confusion caused by issue
number 1 and I allowed it all to snowball before TRULY ( I’ll tell you
why it’s bold and underlined in a minute) giving it to God.
I underlined the word truly because I know to go to prayer
but I sometimes approach prayer things like Jacob – wrestling with it until it
blesses me. I determined that I cannot wrestle with what I don’t know, can’t
see or feel…I had to cast it upon God. I could pray about my confusion and
circumstances surrounding it.
To truly get the one verse we must read 55:16-23 doing so with the knowledge that we must call
upon God with EVERY trial, and IN FAITH knowing that He will save us. Our actions should be guided by the fact that
He is our Father; He would listen to us, and not get frustrated by the frequency
or the triviality of our issues. God rejoices in the frequency of our petitions.
David’s situation made him somewhat paranoid. He truly
believed that everyone had turned against him; but during the struggle he began
to see that he had support, more than he imagined; and he praised God that he
was able to see it; David praised God because he knew that his support was from
God. This is why it’s important to call
upon “prayer warriors” when you’re struggling
Stress and anxiety are very heavy burdens, especially when
they are accompanied with the force of temptations and the direct aim of Satan;
there are also the burdens of the desire to sin or you’re already engaged in
the sin and the pervasiveness of corruption. The only way to get relief is to
look to Christ, to understand that He bore it all. Like any father, God loves
to see that His children have what they want and need, leave it to Him to give
it in his own way (preparing you) and time.
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