A couple of days ago I was struggling with feeling hurt and frustrated, and if I was honest I’d have to admit that I was probably wrong in my attitude as well. Then that evening, I had to go to a meeting about my daughter’s violin lessons and was finding it hard to pay attention because I was so upset. So I started writing sporadic prayers to God on my little sheet of paper that they had handed out, telling Him how I was feeling and writing if I thought I was hearing anything from Him.
I eventually heard the phrase, “I am your strong Helper and your Shield”. I knew it was in the Bible, but it’s not one of the verses I am very familiar with. So I looked it up, and my favorite was:
The Lord is my Strength and my Shield,
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy,
and I will give thanks to Him in song.
Psa. 28:6-7
So I began to hide behind God as my Helper and my Shield, so that I was protected from the hurt. I was safe and hidden with Him and was then able to deal with the emotions that I felt were unmanageable before and proceed with what I needed to do that day.
I probably would have forgotten by the next morning, but as I opened my Jesus Calling to read, guess what the title for the devotional that day was???…”I Am Your Strength and Shield”. And guess what the verse was? Of course, the very same one! When I saw that, my jaw dropped! I was really quite amazed to hear the same obscure (to me) verse twice in a row! I would say, what a coincidence, but I know there are no coincidences with God. So He reminded me that He is my Strength and Shield and how He was able to protect me from that hurt. So I continue to view Him that way when I feel attacked and hide in Him as my Strength and Shield!
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." 1 Chron. 16:34
