I will praise the Lord who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure. Psalm 16:7-9 NIV
Receiving counsel and wisdom from the Lord can be a very difficult task when you are fearful and stressed. King David would know about fear and stress having physically run away from King Saul. It doesn’t matter what is causing your stress, it’s real to you. You can learn from David’s encouragement.
- Praise and worship shifts the focus from the stressor to the Blesser. Notice, I will praise the Lord who counsels me. When times are tough, I play God exalting worship music to be heard throughout the house. I begin to meditate on life-giving phrases that direct my attention to God.
- Even at night my heart instructs me. The heart is the place where the Spirit of God dwells. I know it is not the physical heart. In Romans it states we believe in our heart. Take the time to learn how the Holy Spirit whispers direction to your heart. It is usually never the answer we thought it would be at first, but it comes with peace and confidence.
- I keep my eyes always on the Lord. Very rarely have I been able to settle my heart and mind by watching TV or a movie. Spend some extra time reading the Bible. Read your “go to” sections, Psalm 23, Romans 8, John 15, Psalm 51. If you have scripture on your walls, read and remember why these were important to display in your house.
- With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. The right hand is considered to be the place of highest honor and authority. Take some time to repent wherever you have failed to give God the highest place in your life. Repentance and asking for wisdom flow very well together in God’s economy. Even when we are fearful because we have made poor choices, repentance can lead us to the next right step.
- When we have realigned our lives toward purity in God’s standards, it creates a boldness that can never be shaken
- Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. What began in worship ends in worship. The tongue is referencing his speech. Others could probably hear David shout some Hallelujahs.
- my body also will rest secure. How many people long for the body to be able to rest at night securely and in peace? May you experience a fresh rest and peace over your body and heart tonight as you follow King David’s example.
On this Fear Not Friday, may you engage your whole body like David to deal with your stress and fear. Let worship permeate your mind and heart. May the voice of the Holy Spirit be crystal clear. May you make adjustments for your eyes to gather impressions of God’s love and care. May repentance become your friend to lead you to the refreshing waters of God’s fountain of life. May you receive rest and peace over your life.
Blessings Love Y’all
Stress and fear tend to run together in my life. This is a great reminder about repentance and asking for wisdom. God always grants wisdom when I approach Him with a clean heart, and a clean heart only comes after repentance.