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“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me” (Psalm 28:7, NIV).
I was halfway through my fifth year of teaching high school English, and I felt dead inside. Between working full-time, pursuing a master’s like degree in professional writing, working on my first book proposal, and being married, I was worn and weary. On the outside, I appeared productive and flourishing. Everyone around me praised my ability to keep up with perfection. But on the inside, I was crumbling—drained, broken, and a shell of myself.
Many of you know that feeling too well. You push yourself past healthy breaking points, and don’t stop until you’re face-to-face with utter exhaustion. Living life in this way doesn’t just suck out the fun and enjoyment, but it also prevents us from living our best lives. It prevents us from living in the grace that God gives us for each day.
When we try to do life in our strength, it’s like we’re fighting battles without enough strength or protection. No matter how many hours we put in at our jobs, in our homes, or in the gym, it’s never enough. There’s always more to do, more to achieve, and higher to become. But what would change if we truly believed God was both our strength and shield? If we stopped trying so hard and started living in the truth of what Psalm 28 tells us.
According to Psalm 28, David cries out to God to hear him. He asks that the Lord protect Him from evil people, and praises Him for his deliverance before he receives it. The personal nature of verse 7 declares that God is David’s strength and shield. He uses the word “my” to indicate that, though he doesn’t have the victory yet, he believes God will deliver him in the end.
Today, I would encourage you to read verse 7 silently and replace “my” with your name in mind. Then, I would suggest breaking down the verse section by section.