If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. Psalms 94:18-19
Living in a world that has more than its share of darkness can present challenges when it comes to maintaining a good mood and an overall cheery countenance. You may even know someone who goes through the entire range of emotions all within an hour or two! There are indeed plenty of things in this world that could trip you up or get you down.
It’s almost as if you are stuck between two worlds — as a born-again believer, your spirit is home to the Lord and the Kingdom of God is within you as Jesus says in the seventeenth chapter of Luke. Then, on the other hand, your flesh is of this world and is corrupt. And in between is your soul, your mind will and emotions, being bombarded with attacks from the flesh with its weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
The battle is real and it has to be fought every day. The good news (actually awesome news) is that you have the potential for victory living in you — the One that is in you is greater than the one that is in this world! If you avail yourself of all God has provided for you, there is no doubt you will be more than a conqueror.
The Psalmist identifies two challenges every believer will face at some time. First, he talks about his foot slipping. He is not talking about losing his footing as he is walking along a rocky path, he is referring to falling short of God’s mark. Falling short can get you down. The enemy can heap condemnation upon your soul through negative thoughts. Praise God, your spirit offers the answer; the mercy of God. Jesus holds you up in the Father’s presence by His mercy. When you confess and forsake sin, you are covered by Jesus’ righteousness.
The other challenge can come at you in a multitude of ways. That is anything that plants seeds of worry or doubt or even despair in your soul, trying to get you down and discouraged. This causes you to have an anxious soul and then in turn, allows negative thoughts and imaginations (things are almost never as bad as you imagine them to be) to begin to run rampant through your mind. These anxieties may be different from day to day based on the circumstances you face in your life, but the source is always the same. The enemy of your soul is the one who is constantly trying to bring anxiety into your heart and soul. Your spirit will feed your soul faith but your flesh will only offer it fear.
What is the answer then, to navigating these two worlds? The only place for your flesh is on the cross, crucified with Christ! Your soul is only nourished by way of your spirit. Through the Lord, you have His mercy to hold you up during those times when your foot slips. And, if you fall down, He is there to pick you back up again.
Then, there are those opportunities to worry and be anxious; a multitude of them. Choose faith over fear, listen to your spirit and not your flesh. God is always with you and He will never leave you, even when you feel forsaken. Delight yourself (your soul) in the Lord and in His goodness. Let your thoughts be of Him and His comforts will delight your soul.
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