EquippedMama

How does a believer actually seek the Lord’s Strength in everyday life? Last week we explored the opening verses of Psalm 105 and how seeking God’s strength is seen in Scripture. This week we will revisit the passage with some practical tips for how to seek His strength in our lives.

Give Thanks 

If we are to look at Scripture for this answer there are some great examples given in our source passage. The beginning of Psalm 105 reads that we are to “Give thanks to the Lord, Call on his name, make known his accomplishments among the nations” (v.1) Why do we start by giving thanks to the Lord? It helps get our hearts in the right place. It reminds us of our need for God and all that He has already done for us. More than that, we are to tell other people of God’s Goodness- the passage says to “make known his accomplishments among the nations.” Okay. So what does that look like? How do we live out these verses in our Monday-morning-after-a-long-weekend sort of lives?  Or what about in our dealing with a diagnosis that we don’t want to face? It means that we learn to find reason to be grateful for the things to which God calls us. 

Maybe cleaning up cereal scrubbed into our favorite rug turns into an opportunity to thank God that we have nice things and food to eat.

Or maybe it is more difficult than that. 

One of the most powerful examples I can remember of these verses lived out is when my mother-in-law was diagnosed with very advanced ovarian cancer. All of us were pretty rattled by the bleak diagnosis. Prior to the surgery which discovered the malignancy, she seemed like a very healthy strong sixty-one-year-old. After the diagnosis family discussions centered on horribly unpleasant topics, like chemotherapy. After a few days my husband called his mom to check on her. During the conversation she said something that stuck with us both.  

“I am thankful for the cancer” she told Jon. 

“You mean you’re thankful to God despite the cancer?” My husband asked. 

“No, I’m thankful for the cancer.”

“You mean you’re thankful for the sanctification the trial will bring?”

“No” she replied. “I’m grateful for the cancer.” 

She went on to say that she understood that the cancer was going to open her up to new opportunities to witness to doctors and nurses in the chemo room. She did. Even witnessing to her oncologist at her final appointment before her death. She gave thanks to the Lord for what He had allowed in her life and in so doing she allowed Him to use it as He wanted.

 She was receptive because she was grateful.

One of my favorite authors writes this of gratitude: 

“Gratitude is a lifestyle. A hard-fought, grace-infused, biblical lifestyle. And though there’s a sense in which anyone can be thankful-for God has extended His common grace to all- the true glory and the transforming power of gratitude are reserved for those who know and acknowledge the Giver of every good gift and who are recipients of His redeeming grace.” (DeMoss, Nancy, Choosing Gratitude, pg. 29). 

So the first step to seeking the Lord’s strength is to give thanks. In whatever circumstance, in whatever season “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18). 

Worship the Lord 

Coming from a competitive running background, I’ve joked that you don’t have to ask who has run a marathon; most people will tell you. To accomplish such a difficult feat requires motivation, diligence, and a certain amount of love for the sport, from this love often comes the propensity to talk about it, right? Even if you’re not into running, this concept carries over,  Grandparents talk about their grandbabies, girlfriends talk about their boyfriends. Jesus explains it best when He says, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” (Matt. 12:34b). 

What is worship? In this Psalm, worship is a combination of making music before the Lord and telling others about His greatness. It is recounting the great things that He has done and giving honor to His name. In his book on worship, my husband wrote,

“Life’s problems-all of them-can be completely solved only by worshipfully bowing to God as the reason for our existence. The universe is His stage, and worship helps us realize this perspective.”

Jonathan Hager, Not Primary Colors, pg. 7

So how does this relate to seeking God’s strength? We take whatever circumstances that we are faced with and we stop to praise God. This is not the same as Gratitude, because we are not focusing on thanking God for stuff or circumstances, but rather Praising Him for who He is. Maybe we praise God for being in control, or praise him for how He has worked in our life in the past. We tune our hearts to focus on the character and nature of the Lord. 

How does this help us? It shifts our gaze from ourselves to God. It reminds us who we are in light of who He is. Sometimes we need this perspective shift so desperately. I was reminded of an example of this in a news article that was on the headlines not long ago.

In late March, American Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia for supposed claims of esbionage.  He has been held in  Lefortovo prison in Moscow. Recently an article commented on the pyschological difficulty of staying in that prison. The article mentioned the following; “The rooms there are designed to give the prisoners a sense of total isolation, even from one another. Prisoners in Lefortovo are prevented from seeing the outside world, other than the sky through a small window.” 

Isolation is a form of torture.

How often when we are struggling, when we feel defeated and when we desperately need God’s strength do we feel like we are all alone? How desperately do we need to be reminded that in all of our life circumstances God has not left us to sort things out by ourselves? He has promised to be with us  until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20) and we remind ourselves of this truth as we tell others about the great things He has done, the judgements He has made and the ways He has acted. We seek His strength as we remind ourselves of His nearness to us, and His faithfulness to act on our behalf.

We worship Him for who He is and demonstrate gratitude for all He has done. 

Finally, seek the Lord. 

What happens when you want to buy a home? I’m sure everyone who has ever applied for a mortgage remembers the process well. The loan officer asks for tons of personal details, including your income, your bank account information, verification of identity, and way more. Why do they do all this? They want to know that you are a good investment to pay back what you owe. They want to know your history and your character to know you can be trusted.The final directive that we are exploring is found in verse 4 of the passage where it says, “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.”  So how do we know His strength? We get to know Him. We learn that He is more than able to “pay” what he promises. 

I love the example found in Exodus 33 where Moses is commanded to lead the people into the promised land. The people had fallen into idolatry and Moses had just interceded on their behalf when the Lord commanded them to continue their journey into the promised land. Moses knew many challenges that faced him, and so he asked the Lord for help. He said:

12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” 18 Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 

Exodus 33:12-14, v.18)

Moses understood the enormity of this job, so what did he do? He asked to know God’s ways. He asked to know God and find favor in His sight. He wanted to behold the glory of the God who said that He would go before him. What did the Apostle Paul do after his conversion? Galatians 1:17 shows that he went to Arabia before talking to others or receiving training from the other apostles. After this time (scholars state it was about 3 years he spent there) Paul visited the Apostle Peter for a time. What was Paul doing all this time in Arabia? Likely, he was seeking the Lord. He likely took this time to study the Scriptures more fully and get to know Christ Jesus personally. Before he began on his ministry he spent time seeking the Lord. 

Putting it all together. 

I’m not an amazing knitter, but my mom is, and sometimes when she comes down to Texas she comes with a sweater or some other project that she has in process for one of her grandbabies or children. When she pulls out her project to work she has a series of needles all pinned in various places each holding a part of her project. One set of needles holds a sleeve, another round needle contains the body, perhaps the other sleeve sits complete on a final needle. The right pieces are all there, and for a woman with lots of practice and skill, it is not difficult for her to put the pieces together and make something beautiful. For someone like me who sticks to very easy projects, I look at the jumble of parts and poky objects and hope just not to destroy it! Sometimes putting it all together is the hardest part. 

How do we do this when it comes to seeking the Lord? I think just like any art or craft, it makes the most sense to follow the experts. It takes practice to learn how to give thanks  in tough circumstances, to worship God for who He is, and to seek Him at all times. But, throughout Scripture and Christianity there are great examples to model. As you seek the Lord, find a passage that really speaks to you about His character and put it in a place where you are reminded to worship Him or thank Him, this Psalm is a great place to start, and it might even help to re-write a portion of the Psalm in your own words, filling in the details for how God has been faithful to you. Maybe you choose to find a Godly friend or mentor who can help you stay accountable in these areas and walk alongside you as you seek God’s character and strength. There’s no reason to go it alone! 

And what’s the “end game” as we seek the Lord and His strength? It’s not that we simply make it through the day on two cups of coffee instead of three, or that we learn to yell at our children less often. It’s that we are conformed into the image of Christ. It is that we learn to shift our gaze to God and His kingdom and live life in light of eternity. 

I’m going to close with a thought from one of my favorite writers, Elisabeth Elliot, she says; 

“God came down and lived in this same world as a man. He showed us how to live in this world, subject to its vicissitudes and necessities, that we might be changed—not into an angel or a story-book princess, not wafted into another world, but changed into saints in this world. The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.” (Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart, pg. 20).

So whatever your circumstances, whatever season of life God has you in, Seek His strength. Learn His heart, and cultivate a life rich with thanksgiving and worship, mindful of all he has done in your life. 

“Thank You” Photo by Vie Studio on Pexels.com

Raised Hands Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Yarn Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com