“Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Over the past couple of days, I’ve been carrying a heavy weight in my heart. It’s coming from three different areas of my life.
First, my family. I deeply desire to be the best dad and husband I can be—to lead my family well and love them faithfully.
Second, work. I’ve recently joined a new team, and with that comes expectations for someone at my level. But I haven’t felt like I’m meeting those expectations, and that’s been hard to sit with.
Third, my role as chairman of the elders at church. I’m the receiving point—not only of incredible blessings and evidence of God’s hand at work in our congregation—but also of deep heartache. I hear the desires of people who want the church to support their ministries, and I walk alongside those who need counseling and healing in the midst of suffering and broken relationships.
In the middle of all this, my pastor sent me Isaiah 41:10, in a ‘voice memo prayer’ no less. I had told him I was feeling the pressure and burden, and this was the verse he gave me. What’s remarkable is that this is the same verse I speak over my youngest daughter, Brooklyn, every night before bed. It’s her life verse.
We clung to this verse during one of the hardest seasons of our lives—when we had to give Brooklyn up after four months, and then waited to see what would happen with her birth mom and assumed birth father. Four months later, the Lord gave her back to us. This verse carried us through the suffering, and it also became a declaration of praise when God restored her to us.
Now, I find myself in another season of difficulty. And the fact that this verse has come back to me—through my pastor, through my daughter, through my own nightly prayers—feels deeply providential.
As I face the pressures from family, work, and church, this verse is once again anchoring me. I’m reminded to fear not. God is with me. He is my God. He will strengthen me, help me, and uphold me with His righteous right hand.
I’m so thankful that—for the third time now—the Lord has brought this verse to comfort my soul.
reading that helps to remind myself of those same promises I need for my life! Thanks for sharing that and you will be lifted up in prayer! I love you brother!!