The God Who Keeps Us
Anchor Scripture for August 10
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” - Isaiah 26:3
Scriptures
Psalm 121
Jude 1:24
Psalm 100:4-5
Isaiah 26:3-4
“We cannot control every situation, but we can control how we react to every situation.” It’s always easy to highlight and reflect on the things that aren’t going well in our lives. Unanswered prayers, unmet needs, health issues, financial hardship, joblessness, feeling like you should be further in life etc. It can be especially easy to magnify those issues and allow it to consume our lives and personalities so much so that we are constantly in a bad mood, have anxiety, internalize hopelessness, and doubt God’s faithfulness. This month’s Fast 10 is a call to recognize “the God who keeps us” in the midst of all the good and bad times.
This past week really showed me how much God is a keeper. A keeper of our soul, our hearts, our emotions, and our lives. New seasons in our lives are never easy to navigate, let alone to walk in. It always comes with its own unique set of attacks spiritually, emotionally and physically. So when situations came up last week one after the other and nothing seemed to be going as planned, naturally, I was feeling overwhelmed. I prayed about it of course, but I also complained to others and complained to God which didn’t really change anything, it just magnified my frustrations instead of magnifying God who is in control.
God will change your perspective before He changes the situation
I can say today that I was able to experience God’s goodness and faithfulness. Even in the midst of my complaining and frustrations, I began to see how God was keeping me. He led me to scriptures that directly addressed what I was facing, worship songs that increased my faith, sermons that helped re-align me with Biblical truths, and took me through a time of reflection of His faithfulness in previous seasons.
Though my situation did not suddenly change in the moment, my perspective, mindset and heart posture were. It resulted in a clear mind, a new-found sense of peace, and an increase of confidence in Him. God is indeed a keeper:
“God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.” - Psalm 121:7-8 MSG
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]. - Isaiah 26:3 AMP
“Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]–” - Jude 1:24 AMP
“God intended it all for good”
It wasn’t until my perspective changed that I started to see a complete turnaround. By the end of the week, I saw almost everything that I was stressed over turn around in my favor! And even when I chose to sit in my frustration and discouragement, the Holy Spirit was gentle in helping me through it.
As John 14:26 in the AMP says:
“But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.”
I share this not to suggest that we ignore and block out all emotions and feelings, but rather to share one of the many ways the Lord can keep us and guard us (particularly in our emotions and our minds). Feel your feelings, but submit them to God and allow him to keep you!
Assignment
Today, I encourage you to invite God into those tough situations and frustrations. That which you’ve prayed about or desired but haven’t seen. Ask God to change your perspective about it. Ask to see it from HIS perspective.
Take the time to reflect on the ways that God has ‘kept you’ and has come through for you. Every time he showed up in your life and you needed help. The craziest situations where you don’t know how or why it worked in your favor. Gratitude is a weapon against the lies of the enemy and it helps to change our overall perspective on situations!
Something to keep in mind
When the enemy came to tempt Jesus in the wilderness questioning and challenging Jesus’s identity, Jesus ‘disarmed’ his lies with the Word of God. If Jesus had to do so, how much more us? When the enemy is speaking to you and plaguing your mind with all kind of thoughts, what Word (Bible truths) do you have to refute his lies?