“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! Psalm 40:17 (ESV)
Some days it’s difficult to get out of bed.
As a mom, yesterday’s battles weigh heavy, and today’s demands feel overwhelming. Deep down I know I am not ready for more; I’m not OK. I feel my weakness with every step, and before I know it, another day starts running on empty.
Can any of the moms out there relate? Not even coffee helps.
Even though I’m aware of my need, I fail to own it. Instead, I ignore the internal alarm sounding and busy myself with my little people’s needs. I stubbornly insist on doing things my way, digging in when things are not working. If I try harder, be better, do better, then things will be better. Sadly, they rarely are. My weary heart is left wanting, and those circumstances I want changed somehow snowball out-of-control. When I let this independent line of thinking trickle into parenting, I become snappy and frustrated, my messy emotions leaving everyone tiptoeing on eggshells.
This is not the kind of mom I want to be.
David was aware of his weakness, but unlike me, he knew when to put himself in time-out. He knew when things were beyond his ability, and instead of attempting to work things out in his own strength, he admitted he had none.
He stopped.
He paused.
He prayed.
You see, the key to help was not in trying harder, being better, or doing better. In human strength, this is impossible. The key was in waiting patiently for the Lord.
David states, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” (Psalm 40:1)
From the depth of a heartbroken plea for help, God lifted David out of the pit. Physically, David’s circumstance were unchanged, but what did change was David’s perception of them. God set David on secure footing and placed a new song of praise in his mouth, one that would not have been possible without God. The idea of secure footing in this passage is that David’s very own steps were being established by God. David personally came to know that in his greatest weakness, God was deliverance. “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:17)
To be thought of and considered by God is strong encouragement for each new day.
When I feel like I am not enough, God is.
When I am too tired to think, God sees this and knows.
When I run out of time and answers, God gives rest and wisdom.
For me, the difficult things that weigh heavy are opportunities to discover the humility needed to reach out to God. God is God and I am not. My strength is undependable, but God’s is incomparable. As I approach God, reeking of fumes, I can admit not being OK. It’s OK to not be OK. What a comfort it is to know that God delights to save those who are poor and needy. Humility helps me see my need for a Savior.
So, with every new day that greets me, I can get up knowing God’s strength supports me. Those just-out-of-bed shaky steps are steadied steps in the hands of God. I don’t need to be OK. God is enough.
