Recently a friend sent me a note of encouragement with regards to my ongoing cancer treatment. Within the note, he included the following Scripture reference.
Psalms 61:1-3,
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”
Upon reading this Psalm passage, it reminded me that there is no prayer too small or too great that the Lord will not attend to. And when we are overwhelmed in a situation, the Lord is there to provide us peace and comfort – [because] He is that rock, that shelter, and that strong tower “from our enemy”. (It should be understood here that “our enemy” is not necessarily some person; but, it can be internal struggles with physical issues, mental / emotional issues, and especially spiritual issues. Likewise, “our enemy” could manifest itself in our job, our finances, and/or in a struggling relationship.)
In other Psalms we also find the following words of comfort and care.
Psalms 36:7,
“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”
Psalms 57:1,
“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.”
Psalms 61:4,
“I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.”
Each one of these passages provides great encouragement when we rest that which overwhelms us under the shadow of the Lord’s wings. In the New Testament we also find the following words of comfort and strength.
1 Peter 5:7,
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Matthew 6:25-26,
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”
Philippians 4:6,
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Hebrews 13:5,
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Too often we end up wallowing in our sorrows / issues due to the fact that we believe the Lord has turned His back on us; and left us to our own demise. Consequently, we become a victim of our own making. However, if we would heed the words of Scripture and quickly run to the Lord for grace, peace, and comfort in our hour of need, our worries (that which overwhelms us) would become less of an issue and a time of praise through our faith in the Lord.
Hebrews 4:14-16 states,
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
A word of caution must be added here. Though we run to the Lord, He may not remove the burden (e.g., our enemy); but He will lift the “weight of the burden” through His grace. As you may recall, the apostle Paul had a “thorn in his flesh” and three times he asked the Lord to remove it. Notice the outcome when Paul accepted the Lord’s grace in the matter.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10,
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
We all experience issues in our life that at times overwhelm us. However, we can take great comfort in knowing that the Lord is our rock, our shelter, and our strong tower “from our enemy”. Learn to rest under the shadow of His wings; and the weight of that which overwhelms us will be lifted off us.
