Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

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weary and waiting

June 10, 2016 by Marissa Leave a Comment

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Welcome

I write to remind myself of the truth of God's promises. I share my writing here in case you need to be reminded sometimes, too.

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When I was a new mom, one of the many aspects of m

When I was a new mom, one of the many aspects of motherhood that felt challenging was that it was always changing. As soon as we settled into a routine, a new tooth or a growth spurt or some other new issue would come along and toss everything I thought I’d figured out right into the trash.

Twenty years later, I still don’t handle change well. My teens are growing up and leaving home, and I feel like I’m grasping these little wisps of family life that vanish so quickly. All these changes can leave me anxious about today and fearful about changes that could come in the future.

What change are you dealing with today? Maybe changes at your job have thrown your life or your finances into a tailspin. Maybe you’re grieving a changed relationship or loss. Or maybe you’re in a steady season, but you worry about change in the future.

This month we’re looking at promises of God to cling to when we’re anxious. Today in Psalm 102, we see that through every change, we can take refuge in our unchanging God:

“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.” (Psalm 102:25-27)

These verses teach us that God has always been and He will aways be—from before the foundation of the earth until it passes away. And through all those ages; through all the changes of civilizations and kingdoms and nations; through the past, present, and future . . . He is the same.

If God remains the same, we know His character and His promises remain the same. All those truths about God that we talk about every Monday—His goodness, His faithfulness, His sovereignty, His mercy—they are the same, now and forever.

We can trust that the same God who has been faithful to us in the past will be steadfastly faithful through all eternity. He is the one constant we can count on through all the changes of life.

No matter what you face this week, when everything changes, God stays the same.

I’ve had some stressful driving experiences, but

I’ve had some stressful driving experiences, but nothing comes close to the time I was lost in Brooklyn, New York, during rush hour on a Friday afternoon. I took the exit into Brooklyn and needed to cross several lanes in a short distance to make a left turn and stay on my predetermined route. (This was in ancient times, before GPS and phones with map apps!)

But it was New York, not Arkansas. Not even the driver with a front license plate identifying him as a clergyman would let me pull in front of him. I didn’t make it to the left turn lane, and I was lost. My surroundings terrified me, and I didn’t know how to find my way to safety. All I had was a paper map, panicked tears, and desperate prayers.

Sometimes life feels similar to those jam-packed streets of Brooklyn. We’re confused and overwhelmed as we struggle to find our way. This month we’re looking at God’s promises that give us peace when we’re anxious, and in Psalm 46, we see that we have a refuge in times of fear:

“‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!’ The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:10-11)

When I hear the words “be still,” I’m reminded of the relief that washed over me as I finally parked in front of my friend’s Brooklyn apartment. Her knowledge of the city protected me from panic and fear as I blissfully followed her around the city for the weekend.

When life feels chaotic and confusing, we can be still. We know the One who knows all things. He is God—we are not. He is with us, and He is our fortress. He will be exalted as the One who rules and reigns over all things.

Peace comes when we feel safe and protected. With God as our ever-present fortress, we can stop panicking and be still. He is exalted above any enemy that threatens us. We can rest in His presence, protection, and peace.

No matter what you face this week, you can be still because God is with you.

The house is still quiet in the mornings as I open

The house is still quiet in the mornings as I open my Bible and place my coffee mug on the teal coaster that a friend gave me a few years ago. It says, “It’s as if no one in my family appreciates that I stayed up all night overthinking for them.” It’s funny because it’s true. As the mom of three teens, I often lay awake at night doing all the overthinking.

This month we’re looking at promises in Scripture to help us when we’re anxious. As we look at Psalm 63, we see that David had a better approach to his bedtime routine.

“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” (Psalm 63:5-7)

Isn’t it fascinating that David specifically mentioned thinking about God in the watches of the night? He didn’t just praise God during the day - he turned his thoughts to the Lord as he laid down to sleep.

I think God understands that when we’re alone in the dark with our thoughts, we will be tempted to stew over the past or worry about the future. Through David’s words, God shows us another way. Instead of focusing on our troubles and fears, we can meditate on what God has done and remember that we can trust Him.

These verses also tell us that David had a satisfied soul and joy-filled lips. These two things are connected—when we find our satisfaction in the Lord, it leads us to praise. We look at our gracious God, see how He’s been our help in the past, and know that He will be our help in the future.

David was satisfied, joyful, and peaceful because he knew the Lord was his refuge and his help. Rather than running out on his own to fix all the things, David sang for joy in the shadow of God’s wings. The Lord is our refuge and help, too, and as we meditate on His promises, we can rest peacefully and joyfully in Him.

No matter what you face this week, we can rest peacefully because of God’s promises.

Sometimes I wonder if squirrels come to our yard j

Sometimes I wonder if squirrels come to our yard just to torment our dog. They run up and down the tree next to the windows while he goes absolutely bonkers on the other side of the glass. If we open the back door to let him out, he runs at top speed directly for the squirrels, who always scamper up a tree and out of reach. Despite his lack of success for nine years now, he is always consumed by his pursuit.

In Psalm 23 we’ve learned that as God’s beloved sheep, we lack nothing we need as we enjoy quiet waters and green pastures of refreshment. We are not alone as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Our cup overflows with the provision of our Shepherd. And in this final verse of the psalm, we see how God’s good gifts continue to pursue us now and through all our days.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

The Hebrew word for “follow” could also be translated as pursue or chase. God’s goodness and mercy don’t amble behind us like a child who’s been sent to his room. They relentlessly pursue us and never let us out of their sight. We did nothing to earn them—they are a gift of God’s grace—and they can’t be taken away. These amazing gifts of goodness and mercy will follow us all the way to our eternal home, where we will dwell with the Lord forever.

Maybe today it feels like God’s goodness couldn’t possibly keep up with the troubles you face. Maybe you wonder if you’ve out-sinned the riches of His mercy. Or maybe you feel alone and discouraged and can’t see evidence of His presence with you.

Let this truth comfort you: God’s goodness and mercy are following you all the days of your life. He is with you now, and He sent His Son so that you can be with Him forever.

No matter what you face this week, your Shepherd’s goodness and mercy are yours forever.

When I was a teenager, an exciting new restaurant

When I was a teenager, an exciting new restaurant opened in my small hometown: we finally had a Chili’s! The best part about Chili’s wasn’t the thin, crunchy tortilla chips or the indulgently breaded chicken strips with salty fries. Chili’s most amazing feature was something I’d never seen before—unlimited soft drinks.

Before my Dr. Pepper could empty all the way, the server would swap it for a full glass. And this endless supply of Dr. Pepper would continue throughout the meal. I wondered how they could stay in business, handing out glass after glass of Dr. Pepper like that!

David lived a few thousand years before Chili’s and their unlimited Dr. Pepper, but he had a good Shepherd who led him in green pastures, through the valley of the shadow of death, to an even better table overflowing with good gifts.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

Even though David was still in the presence of his enemies, God provided a refuge filled with refreshment. With the Shepherd’s protection and provision, David sat to eat in a lavish setting. Expensive oil anointed his head; his cup was filled to overflowing. God’s precious sheep lack nothing.

There are days when our cup doesn’t feel like it’s overflowing. We may not be sure we have what we need to make it through another day, but Psalm 23:5 is still true. Can we see the table spread before us?

God’s good gifts may not be exactly what we want, but He will always provide what we truly need: His grace, mercy, forgiveness, presence with us, care for us, unparalleled comfort, unexplainable peace, and unending faithfulness.

Our Shepherd invites us to take a seat and feast on His lavish goodness to us. Feel the oil on your head that reminds you that you are precious to Him. See your cup overflow with His goodness, spilling over onto the table as you reach for it, reminding you that God’s provision is even more than you need.

No matter what you face this week, your cup overflows with the Shepherd’s good gifts.

Every October, the memories from 2010 come floodin

Every October, the memories from 2010 come flooding back. As the leaves get more colorful, the nights get longer, and the mornings get chillier, it reminds me of the year I found a lump, had a biopsy, waited for results, and then heard the doctor say a word I’d never heard of before: angiosarcoma. When I googled this rare cancer, I was struck with the reality that I might not live to see my kids grow up. I spent the next several months battling through the valley of the shadow of death.

Your experience with that valley may be different. Whether it’s a life-threatening illness, heartbreaking loss, or the grief that comes from the horrific current events in this world, we all encounter the reality of suffering in some way. So when we read Psalm 23:4, it’s not hypothetical.

Even if this verse is familiar, take a minute to read it slowly and absorb this promise from God’s Word:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

The psalmist drew comfort from these four words: “You are with me.” We have peace in the midst of suffering because God is always with us and will never abandon us.

This verse also tells us that as we endure the pain of suffering, we have nothing to fear. Through our tears and our heartbreak, we can have confidence that Christ conquered cancer, sickness, death, and loss when He rose from the grave. We can say with the apostle Paul, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Because our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, experienced death for us, we will never walk through death’s shadow alone. Because our Shepherd suffered for us, we can face suffering without fear. Because our Shepherd demonstrated His love for us on the cross, we have confidence that He will always be there to comfort us and will one day wipe away all our tears.

No matter what you face this week, your Shepherd is with you in your suffering.

Where do you turn when you feel worn down or worn

Where do you turn when you feel worn down or worn out by the worries of life? Maybe your calendar feels so hectic that you couldn’t pull it all off even if you cloned yourself. Or maybe you’re in a quieter season, but your concerns about loved ones or the future or your circumstances are still clamoring loudly in your mind. When our souls feel depleted, we have a good Shepherd who restores our souls with rest and refreshment.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2–3)

We saw last week in Psalm 23:1 that we have a caring Shepherd who provides everything we need. In these verses, we learn that our Shepherd gives us rest, refreshment, restoration, and righteousness.

The Hebrew word translated “restore” means to turn back or return. Our souls were originally created for communion with God, but our relationship with our Creator has been ruined by sin. The good news of these verses is that our Shepherd has returned our soul to the fellowship it was created for, bringing us back into relationship with Himself.

Although David penned these words centuries before Jesus walked the earth, we learn from John 10 that these verses find their fulfillment in our incarnate Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He is the door of the sheep and if “anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:7, 9).

What do sheep do in the pasture? They rest. They eat. Maybe they even enjoy the company of other sheep. They are safe in the protection of the Shepherd as He provides the rest and refreshment they need.

We can rest because Jesus our Shepherd laid down His life for us. He refreshes our weary hearts with His love, grace, and mercy. He restores our soul with His Word. He guides His sheep as we grow in righteousness for His glory.

No matter what you face this week, your Shepherd will give you rest, refreshment, restoration, and righteousness.

I’ll never forget the empty shelves during that

I’ll never forget the empty shelves during that pre-dawn trip to the grocery store. It was March 2020, a few days into the quarantine, when I ventured out the store early and hoped it wouldn’t be crowded. Rather than shopping from a menu plan and grocery list, I wandered around the store, trying to figure out meals based on what was available.

Many of us felt the stress of lacking the groceries, toilet paper, and social interaction that we never expected to go without. Maybe today you have plenty of toilet paper, but you worry about other things that you might lose or lack in the future. One of the most well-known verses in the Bible tells us that God will supply everything we need. It’s so familiar that sometimes we forget how truly incredible these words are:

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

Step back and imagine you are an ancient Israelite, worshipping the Lord with your family, hearing this for the first time. I think it would make me stop and think, because this verse makes some shocking claims!

First of all, David says the Lord is our Shepherd. He’s not only Creator and King ruling over all things. He’s more than a strong Rock we can run to for protection. He is all of these things, but He is also our Shepherd. He is with us, knows us personally, carries us, and provides for us.

And because our Shepherd is also the Creator of the universe and the powerful King of kings, we shall not want. Let that soak in. We will not ever go without anything we need.

I’ll be the first to admit this doesn’t always feel true. (I need a vacation, right?!) But we see throughout God’s Word that He provides for His children. He gave His most precious gift to provide for our greatest need: His only Son sacrificed for our salvation. As Romans 8:32 says, we know that in addition to Christ, He will give us everything else we need.

Our Shepherd may not give us everything we want, but He gives us everything we need. As we learn to find our greatest delight in Him and in His gifts, we shall not want (Psalm 16:11).

No matter what you face this week, your Shepherd will give you all that you need.

Have you ever muttered the phrase, “I’ll belie

Have you ever muttered the phrase, “I’ll believe it when I see it”? Usually we say this while rolling our eyes and thinking, “There is no way this is actually happening.” We don’t have faith it will come about, so we have to wait to see it with our own eyes.

This month we’ve been walking through one of my favorite hymns, “It is Well” by Horatio Spafford. The first verse showed us how we can have peace even in suffering, and then the second and third verses showed us how peace with God is the foundation of a peaceful life. In the last verse, we see how our future hope can give us peace today:

“And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul.”

I wonder if Horatio Spafford was thinking of the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:7, where he writes that “we walk by faith, not by sight.” Right now, we can’t see God. We can’t always understand His purposes. But one day soon, we won’t need faith, because we will see our God with our own eyes:

“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:4-5)

When we see God’s face in the new heavens and new earth, He Himself will be our light. It’s hard to imagine what that will be like, but it means we will truly understand that God is our everything. He is the answer to every question. He’s the source of all that we need. He’s the light by which we see and understand everything else.

Right now, it can be well with our souls because we can believe it even though we don’t see it. We can have confidence that one day, our struggles and doubts will vanish, and we will live by sight in glory with Him.

No matter what you face this week, one day your faith will be sight.

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