When Your Mind Is Somewhere Else - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 16
The Crosswalk Devotional
Audio By Carbonatix
By Kelly Balarie, Crosswalk.com
When Your Mind Is Somewhere Else
By: Kelly Balarie
Bible Reading:
“The Lord is my Light and My Salvation – whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid.” – Psalm 27:1 NLT.
Ahh!!!!
For days, I was internally screaming inside while pretending to be there for my kids. I was internally agonizing while trying to calmly answer questions about stop lights and what’s for lunch and playdates with friends. Half the words they spoke would fly over my head lest I pay attention and ignore the tight, clenching pain of anxiety thumping in my chest. I tried to call myself to attention.
“Mommy, what do you think we will do for Valentine’s Day?” My kids asked me.
Who in the world knows?! My world is combusting! How will I handle what I am facing?! How can I disaster plan? If the worst-case scenario happens, how do I rise?
Going somewhere else, in the car, while my kids chatted away, I could see all the dominoes falling. I could see all the marbles rolling everywhere, unable to be contained. I could envision my agony as I couldn’t handle the future.
Ever been there? Have you ever been to a place you never wanted to arrive at? Ever seen the darkness you didn’t want to see? Have you ever confronted a monster you only hoped and prayed would pass you by?
And what do you do when you can’t stop thinking of worst-case scenarios?! When you keep considering all the ways you’ll be hurt? When you’re already experiencing the shame that hasn’t even yet come?
These are viable questions—ones I was contending with for days. God knows I didn’t want to be anxious or worried, yet I kept on confessing to God that I was.
So here I am. Distracted.
And I’d be a liar to tell you I have everything worked out now. I don’t. There seem to be a handful of problems I can’t fix alone, but I can tell you I found a couple of verses that have encouraged me. Here they are:
“The Lord is my Light and My Salvation – whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the Refuge and Stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid. When the wicked, even my enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamps against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rises against me, (even then) in this I will be confident.” (Ps. 27:1-4)
In these verses, I have safety.
The Lord is my Light. Light brings clarity and direction on the best paths to walk and, like a spotlight, can even be a weapon to blind opposition.
The Lord is my salvation. Salvation brings salvation. I will be saved. The Savior is faithful to save. I can rest in Him to do the saving work. I can turn to Him for salvation and trust Him. He may save me and those who come in contact with me during this challenging time. No one can come against the saving power of God. In this, there is no fear.
The Lord is my refuge. In Christ, I am in the biggest, most secure, steel-reinforced refuge. No one is as safe as Jesus. I am hidden in Christ, and Christ is invincible in battle. I am protected, not a sitting duck. Enemy forces have a hard time penetrating that safety. I can trust Him to protect me.
The Lord is the Stronghold of My Life. When I feel like I have no hold on life, I can trust that God has a strong hold on it. He knows everything going on, sees every issue, knows the way, and has a strong hold on my problems.
I can cast my care on the Lord and trust Him with it. Full release is the only way. If I get in His way, I block the way. If I move out of the way – by releasing worry and fear, I make way for the Way Maker. It’s that simple.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
What would happen if you tried to help a friend with their groceries, but they wouldn’t let go of their grip on the grocery bag? Would you effectively be able to assist them with the load they are carrying? The same happens when we don’t release our load to the Lord. Scripture encourages us to cast our cares, but we will still carry their heavy load if we don't let them go. What load might you need to cast on the Lord?
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly’s blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women’s faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant and Today’s Christian Woman.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!
Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
