Lift That Shield

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7 (ESV)

We’re finally seeing hints of spring after a long Wisconsin winter. Branches with the tiniest of buds, a warmer wind that isn’t laced with ice that whips across my face. And slowly but surely, a sun that’s staying up in the sky later and later into the early evening hours.

But man, how we fought the dark, dreary drudgery of months that buried us inside as we huddled under layers and that left us weary with longing for the days when we could fill our lungs with freshness. I’m worn out — especially from going through depleting anxiety and depression while working my way back from the aftermath of a rough year of health scares for myself and my husband.

This world can make me feel weak. How about you? From the constant demands of family life and taking care of others to hearing about tragedy after tragedy in the news — it’s too much for our weary hearts to hold. If you’re like me, sometimes you’re not sure you can take one step more; your faith feels so frail when you’re pouring out your energy simply to make it through the day.

The enemy does his best to keep us down, with discouragement and distraction coming at us from all angles. As the steady stream of trials washes over our hearts, we’re left exposed and worn, in desperate need of reprieve.

But God knew we’d face adversity, that unyielding winter of our hearts. So He’s given us tactics and tools to remember who He is and to call on Him to come into the battle.

Psalm 7:10 reminds us God is our shield, among many other things: “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart” (NIV).

Impenetrable. Strong. Resilient. God never grows weary, and He never gets tired of coming to our rescue. In fact, He delights in it.

God fights for us as we rely on Him. (Deuteronomy 3:22) So while He fights for us, our greatest weapon is our shield of faith in Him. (Ephesians 6:16)

The function of a shield is to keep the enemy from getting to us. It stands between us and our adversary. Because the Lord is our shield, He protects us from lies and attacks of the enemy. With the Lord at work for us, nothing can cut us too deeply for Him to heal, as His Truth and banner hold steady. He is our steady hand and ever-present help in times of trouble. He gives us the grace to endure the battle and offers the hope of lasting victory.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7)

*

*

Delighted and honored as always to be over at Proverbs 31 sharing about how God’s Truth gives us the strength we need to hold on to our faith. Won’t you join me there and read the rest?