Uphold

Uphold

Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

OUR EIGHT-YEAR-OLD was in our bedroom again. I’d already tucked her in numerous times, listened to a lengthy description of the main character in her book, and given countless hugs. I held on to my thinning patience as she paused in the doorway yet again.

“I’m having a hard time falling asleep,” she admitted, like we hadn’t noticed her frequent visits.

I suggested a few things to help her relax, and she left. But when thunder rolled in the distance, she returned within minutes. Sighing, I gave in. “You can sleep in our room.” Her grin was immediate, and she quickly left to go get blankets to make up a little bed for herself. Snuggling into it, her eyes started to close.

“I feel better now,” she said sleepily.

“I’m glad,” I said, reaching down. She tucked my hand close to her chest and squeezed. Within a couple of minutes, she was fast asleep.

Meanwhile, I tossed and turned. The flickering lightning looked like a camera flash, illuminating the night sky over and over. Thunder crashed, and the winds whipped through the trees. Restless, I tried to pray but found myself worrying instead. While I couldn’t seem to shut off my brain, my daughter had no such problem. She knew she had nothing to fear. And that made all the difference in her ability to sleep soundly.

Our own peace and rest not only comes from trusting in God but in knowing that he is always with us and for us, upholding us through every circumstance. God’s upholding power means that he is able to keep us from sinking into the depths of fear. His upholding power supports and lifts us, and—when we’ve reached the end of our strength—he holds us within his hand. We can trust him. Though we’ll face storms in this life, he won’t let us be overcome.

Lord, remind us today of the way you uphold us in every circumstance. Thank you for your constant, faithful presence we can trust in. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: List your fears. Spend time praying about giving them into God’s care, asking him to uphold you in every circumstance you’re facing.