Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
I remember when I just got saved, I had a lot of questions about Christianity. I had a lot of questions about the Bible. Pain. Suffering. I was wrestling with a lot of addictions when I just got saved. I had a mouth problem. In fact, I cussed a lot on the basketball court. God was slowly pruning me and changing me.
I remember my buddies would always tell me, like, "Hey, Val, stay strong," because I had so many questions about the faith. When I read this verse, Psalm chapter 18 and verse 1, "I love You, Lord. You are my strength," the question that I ask myself is, "Val, where do you draw your strength from?" In those days where I feel discouraged, where I feel like I don't even want to get out of bed, or maybe even feeling a sense of despair. Where do you draw your strength from?
David's Source of Strength
David, if we read the Psalms, he was on the run very often from Saul, because Saul tried to kill him multiple times. David talks about how he battles loneliness, depression, and he makes the statement and he says, "You are my strength." That is to say, he found his strength in the Lord. He can recall how God has been faithful to him in the past.
Acknowledging the Source
I ask myself the question when I was reading this: "Val, do you acknowledge where your strength comes from?" I want to ask you that question. If your marriage is working, if your health is good, if your finances are doing well, that's not because you're awesome. It's not because you've mastered marriage or money or your kids are doing well. That's because God has given you strength to win in those areas.
I try to remind myself of that. If my kids are good, if my wife is good, if my health is good, if my walk with the Lord is good, if I'm keeping my eyes on the Lord, it's because He's given me the strength to keep my eyes on Him. Are we acknowledging where our strength is coming from?
Joy as Strength
Nehemiah chapter 8 and verse 10 will tell us that the joy of the Lord is our strength. I love that scripture because joy is strength. Psalm chapter 16 and verse 11 would tell us that in His presence there's fullness of joy. If we're going to be a strong people, we have to be a people that are passionate about the presence of God.
Fighting to Get Away
That means we have to fight to get away. Luke chapter 5 and verse 16 says that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. Why did He do that? He had to fight to get away from the crowds, from His disciples, to spend time with the Father.
What does that look like for you? Maybe it's taking a couple of minutes during your lunch break at work and just meditating on a verse. Maybe it's not bingeing on a Netflix show and maybe skipping an episode and going to spend some time with the Lord. Whatever you have to do to fight to get away and do that, because your strength is going to come from the presence of God.
David says, "I love You, Lord. You are my strength."
