By Tiffany Link
Have you ever had one of those weeks when the fullness of your life feels like a burden instead of a blessing? When everything laid on your shoulders feels impossible to bear? I came to the Lord in this place earlier in the week, feeling the weight of my inadequacy. Like all of us, I juggle many roles in life, all of which I feel called to: wife, mom, church member, student, writer, daughter, sister, friend ~ how does one do it all well? Sometimes I’m dropping balls and certain ones seem to fall to the ground more often than others. If God has called me, why does it feel burdensome to manage it all sometimes?
Sitting with the Lord, this question plaguing my heart and struggling to center myself on Him, a realization dawned. Over the past few weeks, my mind has been scattered, my heart divided. My eyes haven’t been set on Jesus, but on trying to keep the balls in the air. It’s so easy to do, isn’t it? Fix our minds on the task instead of the Giver of the task.
Yet even as the root issue emerged, settling my soul into the Lord’s embrace felt out of reach. I knew the one thing I needed was Jesus, and I couldn’t even manage that! Feeling paralyzed, I dragged myself to the Lord, asking Him to reach my heart.
Like countless times before, God met me in His Word ~ through Psalm 117, surprisingly. All of Scripture is informative, but as a gal drawn to narrative, I struggle more with connecting to the books of poetry. What’s more, Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible, just two little verses. It’s humble and unassuming. But the Lord used this modest little Psalm to move me. Never underestimate the power of a living book.
“Praise the Lord, all nations;
Laud Him, all peoples!
For His lovingkindness is great
toward us,
and the truth of the Lord is
everlasting.
Praise the Lord!”
~ Psalm 117, NASB
While remembering the lovingkindness of God is comforting, it was the next phrase that impacted me. “For His lovingkindness is great toward us.” A notation in the NASB version of The Holy Bible App states that “great toward us” literally means “prevails over us.”
Prevails over us. According to Oxford Languages, prevail means to “prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious.” Like the release of a deep sigh, the lie of self-reliance slipped away, and I breathed in the truth of God’s sufficiency. God’s lovingkindness proves more powerful than opposing forces. God’s lovingkindness is victorious. God’s lovingkindness prevails over us. Over me. My failure to seek God, my inability to keep balls in the air, my sense of inadequacy, all of it is no match for the prevailing power of God over me. Oh, glory.
Friends, I already knew all this. And if I had to guess, I bet most of you do, too. But I’m forgetful. I don’t want to be a forgetful hearer, but even when I get caught in the thickets of my flesh, God will rescue me. Every. Single. Time.
In John 16:32, right before the Lord’s crucifixion, Jesus warns the disciples that shortly they will all be scattered; in an act of self-protection, they will abandon Him. It happens just as He says, but thankfully, for them (and us), we have verse 33: These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. Having warned them of self-seeking failure, He immediately comforts them with the fact that ultimately, He will overcome the things of this world, in this case, their fallen selves. Prevailing lovingkindness.
Have you failed to seek God this week? Dropping one too many balls? Take heart sisters. The prevailing lovingkindness of God will never leave nor forsake us. Our inadequacy is no match for Him. He has overcome the world.
About the author:
Tiffany is a wife, mom, and writer who lives in Boise, Idaho. She is currently pursuing a degree in Creative Writing, but holds a degree in acting from a former life. Her family served the Lord on the mission field for four years in Yemen, and she now works as a journalist for Operation Mobilization, a global missions organization. She loves reading, traveling, and keeping up with her four children who range from college to third grade. She is thankful for the full and generous life God has granted her.
Photo: Alais Wagner